Technical Cooperation on Migration Management and Capacity Building

The International Organization for Migration in the Russian Federation conducts a variety of projects related to capacity building in the area of migration management. A capture of our completed projects is included below.

Completed Projects

Support to the Implementation of the EU Readmission Agreements with the Republic of Moldova, the Russian Federation and Ukraine: Facilitation of Assisted Voluntary Return and Reintegration (SIREADA) (2011-2013)

The project “Support to Implementation of EC Readmission Agreements with the Republic of Moldova, the Russian Federation and Ukraine: Facilitation of Assisted Voluntary Return and Reintegration” (SIREADA) aims at further development of the implementation of readmission agreements as well as promoting sustainable reintegration of voluntary returnees and serving the economic and political interests of countries of origin, transit and destination.

The project is the part of the EC Thematic programme on cooperation with third countries in the areas of migration and asylum 2009.

The project is implemented by IOM missions in the Russian Federation, Moldova and Ukraine in cooperation with relevant governmental counterparts (in the Russian Federation - Federal Migration Service; in Moldova - Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Moldova,; in Ukraine - Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, State Border Guard Service of Ukraine), with the UK Border Agency (Home Office), as well as with some non-governmental agencies, such as Institute for Penal Reform (IPR) in Moldova; Chernihiv Public Committee for Human Rights Protection and Volynsky Perspectyvy in Ukraine.

In general the project activities in three countries (Russian Federation, Moldova, Ukraine) include assisted voluntary return and reintegration of third-country nationals and own nationals, humanitarian assistance for migrant detainees in Moldova and Ukraine as well as policy dialogue and capacity building on readmission/ return and reintegration for Moldovan, Russian and Ukrainian migration bodies.

The activities are closely coordinated with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Federal Migration Service of Russia.

The project is funded by the European Union.

Project duration: March 2011 – February 2013.

Enhancement of Management of the Russian Federation Border Checkpoints (2009-2011)

In 2007 the Russian Federation has undertaken a number of developments in its border management strategy. A new entity – the Federal Agency for the Development of the State Border of the Russian Federation (Rosgranitsa) with the functions of management, administrating and development of the borders of the Russian Federation was established.

The Russian authorities have expressed a keen interest in international and particularly EU expertise in development and maintenance of the effective systems of state border management and efficient border control procedures. Recognizing the significance of this subject and in order to support the Russian Government, IOM in close cooperation with Rosgranitsa elaborated set of proposals resulted in signing in July 2009 the Agreement with the Delegation of the European Commission to Russia, which contracted IOM Moscow to implement a Project titled “Enhancement of management of the Russian Federation border checkpoints”.

The Federal Agency for the Development of the State Border of the Russian Federation is both a Project partner and final beneficiary party.

The main goals of the initiative are the provision of methodological, technical and institutional assistance to the Russian Federation in the implementation of the effective systems of state border management and efficient border control procedures. Specifically the project activities include four components as follows: Component One aiming to assist to assigned state agencies in implementation of the state policy in border management area, Component Two is a building capacity of the Russian state agencies in border and migration management area, Component Three seeking to strengthen of international cooperation and Component Four seeking to optimize data sharing.

The project is funded by the European Union.

Project duration: September 2009 - June 2011.

Development of Administrative Mechanisms in Support of Readmission of Migrants in the Russian Federation (2009-2011)

In September 2009 a project “Development of Administrative Mechanisms in Support of Readmission of Migrants in the Russian Federation”, funded by the European Union and jointly implemented by IOM Moscow and FMS of Russia, was launched. This project comes as a logical follow up action for the Programme “Assistance to the Government of the Russian Federation in Establishing Legal and Administrative Framework for the Implementation and Development of Readmission Agreements”.

One of the main purposes of the project is further development of administrative, legal and practical mechanisms in the Russian Federation to ensure compliance with its international obligations in the sphere of readmission, especially in its part of reception, accommodation and transfer of third country nationals and stateless persons; as well as enhancing the capacity of the FMS of Russia and other relevant authorities of the Russian Federation in implementing readmission agreements in the Russian Federation.

The project provides for a number of activities which include development of analytical materials, in particular needs assessment reports on readmission agreements implementation for third country nationals, and gap analysis for optimizing readmission applications workflow. In the framework of activities in establishing effective mechanisms of reception, accommodation and transfer of third country nationals and stateless persons development of a training programme for readmission centers personnel with the particular focus on safeguarding of migrants’ human rights, observing international standards and norms, ensuring the security and safety of the centers inhabitants, and holding of such trainings for readmission centers personnel are planed.

With the purpose of enhancing the practical dialog between the Russian and EU competent authorities and increasing the FMS of Russia’s staff knowledge on EU Ms’s modern approaches in overall migration management with a particular emphasis on return and readmission, the technical meetings will be held with involvement of both European and Russian experts, a sturdy tour will be organized, a specialized English language course for FMS of Russia’s officials working in the area of readmission will be developed and tested in the course of the trainings.

Within the frameworks of the informational activities, a movie and informational materials will be developed in direct cooperation with the FMS of Russia. The movie will be addressed to migrants, potential migrants and travelers and will raise their awareness on the legal channels of emigration to the EU and risks of irregular migration, including trafficking in human beings. A particular focus will be done on prospectus of readmission.

The project is funded by the European Union.

Project duration: September 2009 - April 2011.

Assistance to the Government of the Russian Federation in Establishing Legal and Administrative Framework for the Development and Implementation of Readmission Agreements (2007-2010)

The Programme aims at rendering practical and technical assistance in specific issues related to the European Union - Russian Federation Readmission Agreement, effective since June 1, 2007, and serving a platform for the expertise and knowledge interchange between the EU and Russia in the field of migrants’ readmission and return.

The main advantage of the joint IOM-FMS of Russia programme is exactly its ability to organize subject-specific events, responding promptly to emerging challenges which call for quick solution, and drawing on the expertise of those European Union experts who are the most knowledgeable in specific issues of the return and readmission process.

The results of the Programme include the following:

In the field of building the capacity of the Russian migration authorities for reception and protection of forced returnees in the framework of readmission:

• Assistance was provided with drafting of the Federal Law on Amending the ‘Federal Law on the Legal Status of Foreign Citizens’ and the ‘Federal Law on the Procedure of Exit from and Entry into the Russian Federation’;
• The FMS partners were acquainted with a specially prepared overview and analysis of the existing generally accepted practices and international standards concerning the accommodation and reception of third-country nationals with an irregular legal status who are transferred to the RF under a readmission procedure and have to be further returned to their country of origin;
• The implementation of the Programme brings to the forefront the issue of necessary harmonization of different forms of forced return from the territory of the Russian Federation (readmission, administrative expulsion, deportation), as well as the establishment and promotion of alternative forms of return to the country of origin, primarily voluntary return, which is considered a preferred form of return, both for the migrant and the state;
• IOM colleagues in Moscow, Geneva, Vienna, Baku prepared a special report – “Brief Overview on Legislation and Law Enforcement Practices of Certain Foreign States in the Field of Migration Flows’ Management and Immigration Control”;
• Five IML training courses for FMS senior and mid-level officials were held to raise the awareness on readmission in the regions on International Migration Law and readmission agreements and their legislative basis;
• A Two-Volume Readmission Manual and an Electronic Training Module were developed;
• During study-tours to the Netherlands, Germany and Austria IOM acquainted the Russian authorities with other countries’ practical experiences of readmission agreements implementation;
• Snapshot Study on the Profiles of Irregular Russian Migrants in the EU and Challenges for their Reintegration upon Return to the Russian Federation was carried out;

In the field of development of model mechanisms for return and readmission:

• Technical seminars in which European experts took part were particularly successful in revealing such key areas where cooperation is needed and paved the road for further discussions at bilateral and multilateral levels;
• Expert support is provided to the Pskov Readmission Centre as well as refurbishment of Don Migrant Accommodation Centre has been done;

In the field of ongoing dialogue with European and third countries on issues of return and readmission:

• Direct technical-level contacts are established between migration officers involved in implementing the EU-RF Readmission Agreement;
• A lot of effort is given to improving the algorithm of readmission procedure implementation, starting from the point of a readmission application submission;
• Assistance in the strengthening of dialogue and regional cooperation on readmission was provided. The participants of the Regional Technical Consultations had the occasion to meet their counterparts in person which, in line with the objectives of the technical meeting, further contributed to the establishment of contacts among the EECA.

The Programme is implemented in close cooperation with the Federal Migration Service (FMS of Russia).

The Programme is funded by the European Commission and the Governments of Germany and Finland.

The Programme duration: February 2007 - February 2010.

More detailed information on the Programme.