Forced Migration in the OIC Member Countries:
Policy Framework Adopted by Host Countries
55
Almaty Process was created to serve as a regional consultative mechanism through which
forced migration issues can been addressed.221 Since the Process’s operationalization in 2013,
senior officials have met annually to work on building states’ capacity to manage migration
and a Support Unit has been created. The process has had some success to date in supporting
the development of national protection policy. In Tajikistan, the Process supported the
development of Standard Operating Procedures for the national Referral Mechanism of
Asylum-Seekers,222 and in Kyrgyzstan, the Process assisted in formulating standard
instructions on the reception and referral of asylum-seekers.223 However, the Almaty Process
faces serious obstacles to bringing about a large-scale upgrade of the region’s humanitarian
framework and enforcement of international law, including limited funding, the non-binding
nature of its recommendations, and the withdrawal of Russia from the group.224
Afghans and the difficulties of voluntary repatriation as a durable solution
Finding durable solutions for Afghan refugees in Central Asia has proven to be especially
difficult due to their lengthy displacement, the complexity of ongoing migration flows, and
continued security and economic issues in Afghanistan. Many Afghans have been displaced for
decades, and 50 percent were born in exile.225 As a result, UNHCR’s 2005 Comprehensive
Solutions Strategy acknowledged that many Afghans may not repatriate, which was
subsequently reflected in policies by the Iranian and Pakistani governments. In 2006 for
example, Pakistan worked with UNHCR to enact a registration campaign classifying Afghan
refugees as “Afghan citizens living in Pakistan.”226 The “proof of registration” cards granted to
Afghans provided them with the legal right to stay and work, and the information collected
was used to inform future initiatives for durable solutions.227
After 2011 though, the UNHCR has begun to again favor repatriation as the preferred outcome
for Afghan refugees,228 as represented through the 2012 Solutions Strategy for Afghan
Refugees to Support Voluntary Repatriation, Sustainable Reintegration and Assistance to Host
Countries (SSAR). The SSAR brings UNHCR and the governments of Afghanistan, Pakistan, and
Iran together to support the reintegration of refugees in Afghanistan through livelihood
opportunities and basic services, while also providing support for those who remain in Iran
and Pakistan.229
221 OIC countries Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkey and Turkmenistan are members of the
Almaty Process. Iran and Pakistan hold observer status.
222 This mechanism refers asylum seekers who arrive at the Tajikistan border to the relevant agencies that process their
claim.
223 UNHCR, “Almaty Process: Achievements and Way Forward,” updated July 16, 2015
224 Orchard, “The Almaty Process: Improving Compliance with International Refugee law in Central Asia,” 82
225 Katy Long, From Refugee to Migrant? Labor Mobility’s Protection Potential (Washington, DC: Migration Policy Institute,
2015), 11
226 Long, From Refugee to Migrant?, 11
227 Iran also created an initiative to provide Afghans with temporary work permits instead of their refugee cards (refugee
card holders are only able to work in a predetermined set of menial professions). However, the true intentions of these
plans have been questioned due to the significant bureaucratic obstacles and high costs involved. For many refugees, the
long and costly process of obtaining a legal work permit makes irregular status a more appealing option, despite the risk of
possible deportation. Long, From Refugee to Migrant?, 11; Ron Redmond, “Pakistan: Afghan registration starts,” UNHCR,
October 13, 2006,
228 This may be partially attributable to the lack of political will to absorb large numbers of Afghan refugees in Pakistan and
Iran, as both countries saw political unrest at the time. Long, From Refugee to Migrant? , 12.
229 An overview of the SSAR’s work can be found in its 2014 Progress Report, found here: UNHCR, Solutions Strategy for
Afghan Refugees: Progress Report 2014 (Geneva: UNHCR, 2015)