Azernews.Az

By Leman Mammadova

Azerbaijan is ready to continue cooperation with the International Center for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) on the project MOBILAZE-2 (Support to the implementation of the Mobility Partnership with Azerbaijan).

Ramiz Hasanov, Azerbaijani Deputy Foreign Minister, made the remarks in Baku at the “Mobility Partnership” international conference, dedicated to the completion of the MOBILAZE project.

“EU approved the proposal of the government of Azerbaijan and decided to finance the project MOBILAZE-2. Azerbaijan is ready for fruitful cooperation on the project with ICMPD,” said Hasanov.

He stressed that migration issues are one of the important areas of cooperation in Azerbaijan-EU relations.

“We are interested in a long dialogue with the EU. The signed documents in mobility and migration give impetus to practical steps in this direction,” Hasanov noted.

He emphasized that within the framework of partnership with the EU, Azerbaijan is interested in a long and purposeful continuation of the dialogue and development of cooperation.

During the conference, Vusal Huseynov, Head of the State Migration Service, said that Baku and Brussels are working on the coordination of the MOBILAZE-2 project. “Azerbaijan and the EU are preparing the project MOBILAZE-2 and conduct negotiations on the agreement. Such projects serve common interests.”

He also noted that Azerbaijan and the EU closely and comprehensively cooperate in the field of migration.

EU-Azerbaijan Mobility Partnership Declaration, signed in 2013, served to define the multiple priorities of cooperation and dialogue, which will be continued between the two parties, and to ensure the processes of movement and connections between people in the future, as well as the effective management of such processes.

The implementation of the MOBILAZE project began in 2016. The main objective of the project was to support the implementation of a partnership on mobility between the European Union and Azerbaijan, paying particular attention to increasing the capacity of the government to prepare and implement state migration policies. Nine structures from seven EU member states were involved in the project implementation.

The project, which consists of five components, covers such issues as the formation of analytical competence for the preparation of migration policy, legal migration to Azerbaijan and from Azerbaijan to other countries, safety of documents, improvement of the procedure for making decisions on asylum, return, reintegration, etc.

Trainings, seminars on various topics, trips to enhance practical experience, meetings, as well as international events were organized within the project.

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Leman Mammadova is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @leman_888

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