Joint UNECE/Eurostat Work Session on Migration Statistics, Geneva, Switzerland, 14-16 April 2010 UNECE Regional Workshop on Strengthening National Capacities to Improve Migration Data. Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, 15 - 17 February 2010

Basic objectives to identify: the gaps in the availability of data on international migrant stocks, flows, and characteristics in the region the ways and means to close this gap before the 2013 High-level Dialogue review the key migration trends and policies at the global and regional level; review the internationally agreed standards and recommendations for international migration statistics; review of all possible sources of migration data, including censuses, administrative sources and surveys statistics; discuss opportunities for data exchange at a national and international level. assess the gaps that exist between these international norms and the data available from countries in the region; propose practical steps to implement the key elements of these recommendations; provide tools for follow-up activities, and identify needs for capacity building. Participants from 12 countries of the EECCA region (CIS and Georgia) representing a) NSOs and b) agencies responsible for migration management (Sending and receiving countries belonging to the same migration system; different priorities in migration management) International organizations : UNECE, UN DESA Population Division, UNDP, IOM…

New evidence within the framework of traditional topics Censuses 2010 - first experience and plans Surveys - filling the gap in data on emigration and temporary labour migration Enhancing the use of administrative sources - initiatives of migration authorities and NSOs Practical Steps to Strengthen National Capacities, Data Availability and Exchange – discussing establishment of a clearing house, experts’ recommendations and toolkit for migration data users and producers New international questionnaire for collection of data on flows and stocks (UN DESA Population Division) best practices (of just practices); presentations and group work

Main outcomes The participants The organizers demonstrated keen interest in bilateral and multilateral data exchange through establishment of a clearing house or using available resources were inspired to publish more data on migration at the NSOs’ website and stimulate national administrative bodies start publishing statistics, improve its availability and diversity agreed with usefulness of the toolkit for practical purposes in the countries of the EECCA region appreciated recommendations and approaches of the CGD report on migrants count, understanding limitations of its implementation at the national level agreed to continue collection of data for the international questionnaire on migrants stocks and flows recognized an obvious progress in migration data collection in spite of remaining problems and new challenges The organizers clarified the state of the art in statistics of international migration in the region , new developments and basic needs in the light of United Nations Development Account Project “Strengthening national capacities to deal with international migration: Maximizing development benefits and minimizing negative impacts”.

Thank you for your attention! Workshop participants Photograph by Stefan Caraus, Moldova Population Register