Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan

A meeting of the Council of Heads of Migration Agencies of the CIS Member States is being held in St. Petersburg.

It is symbolic that the 30th meeting of the Council takes place in a year marking the 35th anniversary of the establishment of the Commonwealth of Independent States.

Representatives of state agencies responsible for migration issues from Russia, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan are participating in the meeting.

In addition to representatives from the CIS Executive Committee, Interparliamentary Assembly of CIS Member States, Anti-Terrorism Center, Union State Standing Committee, General Confederation of Trade Unions, Eurasian Economic Commission, and Council of Heads of Financial Intelligence Units of CIS Member States, the event is attended by numerous other organizations.

The meeting is chaired by Andrey Kikot, First Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation and Head of the Migration Service of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs, Colonel General of Police.

In his remarks to the participants, Andrey Kikot emphasized the importance of solidarity, constructive cooperation, and the exchange of experience in light of current circumstances. It was noted that these factors are essential for developing an efficient and coordinated system that facilitates migration within the Commonwealth.

Furthermore, he highlighted the importance of maintaining the Council as an effective mechanism to assure regional stability and security, and the importance of responding proactively to changes in the migration situation.

The Governor of St. Petersburg Alexander Beglov also participates in the meeting.

During the meeting, the participants will exchange experience in assessing the migration situation within the Commonwealth, discuss changes in the regulation of migration processes through national legislation, and consider the introduction of modern information technologies to ensure security and monitor migration flows.

The use of artificial intelligence in public video surveillance systems will also be given particular attention to biometric identification of individuals.

It is anticipated that participants will discuss cooperation in the return of citizens residing illegally to their countries of residence, including the transition to organized recruitment mechanisms based on advanced solutions implemented by the Russian Federation, as well as improving labor migration processes within Commonwealth countries.