Kyiv, 6 February 2013

The newly elected members of the Parliamentary Committee on Human Rights, National Minorities and Interethnic Relations met with the IOM Ukraine Chief of Mission, Mr. Manfred Profazi. The Head of the Committee Mr. Valerii Patskan underlined the Verkhovna Rada?s interest in IOM?s expertise in migration issues, the Organization?s expert comments on draft laws, as well as cooperation with IOM when assisting Ukrainian citizens abroad.

IOM?s Chief of Mission assured the members of the Committee of IOM?s commitment to foster cooperation with the legislature. ?Adopting best international practices into the Ukrainian legislation is crucial for protecting the rights of Ukrainian migrants abroad, as well as the rights of foreigners and stateless persons in the country, and for improving Ukraine?s migration management,? Mr. Profazi said.

The EU ? Ukraine visa free dialogue, IOM?s assistance in evacuation of Ukrainian citizens from conflict regions, needs of Ukrainian labour migrants, countering trafficking in human beings, irregular migrants stranded in Ukraine, migration-related developments in Crimea and other issues were discussed with the Committee members. Apart of the Head of the Committee, Mr. Patskan, Members of Parliament Mr. Mustafa Dzhemilev, Ivan Popescu, and Bohdan Beniuk were present at the meeting.

IOM and the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine signed a Memorandum of Understanding and Cooperation in December 2011. The Memorandum aims at consolidating efforts to improve Ukrainian legislation in the fields of migration management, counter-trafficking and protecting the rights of displaced persons and national minorities. According to the agreement, IOM and the Verkhovna Rada also intend to conduct consultations on maximizing the social, economic and cultural benefits of migration and mitigating its potential negative consequences.

During recent years, IOM Ukraine assisted in the development of over 20 major legislative acts in the field of migration, such as the State Migration Policy Concept and the Law on Countering Trafficking in Persons.