On 2 March 2015 a meeting between IOM Moscow Chief of Mission Mr. Z. Zigic and CSTO Secretary General Mr. N. Bordyuzha took place.

The point was made by the participants that since the signing of Protocol on Cooperation between the CSTO’s Secretariat and IOM (Moscow, July 2006) most of CSTO member-states developed close, mutually beneficial and dynamically blooming contacts with concerned IOM offices.

According to the information from CSTO MSs, IOM is considered as one of the most pro-active and efficient partner in the field of counteracting irregular migration and trafficking in human beings.

The CSTO Secretary General further stressed that in recent years CSTO and IOM have continuously enjoyed a close and mutually fruitful cooperation.

Thus, the CSTO’s specialists are regularly invited by IOM to take part in various activities (seminars, conferences, round tables, working meetings etc.) held on readmission and counteracting trafficking in human beings topics. In particular, recently the CSTO’s representatives participated in an international conference “Enhancing Efficiency of Cooperation among CIS Member-States and Bodies in Counteracting Human Trafficking” which was jointly organized and conducted by IOM Moscow and CIS Executive Committee in Moscow on 10-11 February 2015.

In their turn IOM officials took part almost in all meetings of Coordination Council of the Heads of the CSTO Competent Authorities on Counteracting Irregular Migration. The last meeting they attended was held on 5 February 2015 in Yerevan.

To pursue the implementation of recommendations of international round table “Enhancement of cooperation Among Competent Bodies of International Global and Regional Organizations in Combating Human Trafficking” jointly organized by IOM Moscow and SCTO Secretariat in 2012, last year IOM developed a Brief Training and Methodic Handbook for CSTO Peacekeepers “Basic Combating Human Trafficking and Forced Labour”. In its turn the CSTO Secretariat has forwarded the handbook to ministries of defense and ministries of internal affairs of the CSTO MSs for use in training process. As well IOM Moscow developed, published and handed over to the CSTO Secretariat an anti-TIP Pocket Guide for CSTO Peacekeepers.

For the time being both organizations are closely engaged in preparation of organization of Consultation for Representatives of Law Enforcement and Security Agencies of the CSTO MSs, which is scheduled for April 2015. During the event contemporary challenges in the sphere of combating human trafficking are supposed to be discussed in detail in terms of states’ and international entities’ further consolidation of efforts in confrontation to this type of organized crime as well as to evaluate the final outcomes of Complex of Operational Activities and Special Operation on Counteracting Trafficking in Human Beings which was conducted by CSTO MSs in 2014 and to identify measures for further continuation of this activity in the CSTO format.

During the meeting the participants exchanged views on present migration situation in CSTO countries and steps undertaken to counteract trafficking in human beings.

Source: CSTO web-site