Head of the Migration Service of Armenia Armen Ghazaryan delivered speech at the International Migration Review Forum in New York, highlighting the format of the Forum as an opportunity to better reflect the migration trends and unite the global efforts since the adoption of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration and the Global Compact on Refugees, the Migration Service said.
Armen Ghazaryan said that in close cooperation with the International Organization for Migration (IOM), Armenia approved its national voluntary report on the implementation of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration, for the first time in 2020 and the second time this year.
“Armenia is taking continuous efforts for the implementation of the goals set by the two Compacts, by improving the management of migration and the protection of displaced persons”, Armen Ghazaryan said.
Ghazaryan presented that one of the latest large-scale projects of the Migration Service relates to the housing problem of persons in a protracted refugee situation, by providing certificates on purchasing apartment.
“At the same time, we have faced another wave of displacement as a result of the aggression and the force used against the people of Nagorno-Karabakh. A large number of people displaced from Artsakh may not have an opportunity to return safely, even now, after the establishment of ceasefire”, Armen Ghazaryan said, reminding about the assistance measures launched by the Armenian government and stating that in this respect the efforts of Armenia absolutely coincide with the two Compacts, strengthening the independence of refugees and the social solidarity in host societies.
He particularly emphasized the importance of the engagement and support of the international community in this context.
In his remarks Armen Ghazaryan also touched upon the impact of COVID-19 on Armenia and the measures taken, particularly in migration sector, as well as the return migration flow registered in this context.
Then, he presented the digitization trends of processes in the field of migration management in Armenia, touching upon the single electronic platform launched for giving a work permit and an employment-based residency status to foreigners.
Ghazaryan said that this is in accordance with the goals set by the Compact – to facilitate the availability of the necessary documents, ensure the regular migration routes and prevent trafficking.
“We reaffirm our commitment to the solutions based on multilateral efforts and human rights, in terms of resisting the challenges emerging in migration and movement field”, Armen Ghazaryan said.
Commenting on the reaction of the representatives of the Azerbaijani delegation during the general discussion, the Head of the Migration Service of Armenia said that this Forum is a platform for discussing the migration trends and developments, rather than a propaganda reproduction place, by totally rejecting such manifestations.
