MIRPAL in Kazakhstan

Annual report of MIRPAL National coordinator in Kazakhstan

June 2011 – June 2012

Main aims of MIRPAL in Kazakhstan are improved migration policy coordination and strengthened migration and remittances practicioners network in Kazakhstan trough management, strengthening and administration of MIRPAL Network in Kazakhstan.

Specific objectives

1. Strengthen the migration COP to enhance their capacities and efficiency to advocate migration policy. Empower migration COP with knowledge, enhancing their ability and confidence to support effective migration policy.

2. Develop relevant national migration COP network encouraging more efficient coordination and lobbying capacity through joint action (video-conferences, workshops, etc).

3. Encourage joint actions between the migration COP network, donors and authorities to ensure improved national migration policy

The activities have the following main components

•  Capacity building: workshop, video-conferences, electronic newsletters, etc.

•  Networking: strengthening migration COP network and liaising with external stakeholders

•  Management and administration of all network activities

•  Analytical work

Capacity building component: workshop, video-conferences, electronic newsletters, etc.

•  This activity includes the identification knowledge and learning gaps in Migration COP as a direction for potential TA assistance from MIRPAL, training, analytical work and publications on these issues.

•  The project team provides to all Migration COP MFPs basic information on MIRPAL Program in general, MIRPAL Action Plan and update on upcoming MIRPAL events planned in the country, disseminate publications. Electronic newsletter briefly updating Migration COP on MIRPAL Work Program, upcoming and past events with a link to URL of MIRPAL website and World Bank ECA Migration website Migration COP will be distributed to network members. MIRPAL network members will participate in the World Bank videoconferences, MIRPAL workshops. Ongoing support (advice, workshops, feedback) will be given by the PPRC team to the network members wherever this is useful.

Networking: strengthening migration COP network and liaising with external stakeholders

•  PPRC cooperates with Migration COP members and collect information on challenges and problems related to migration and remittances in the country.

•  At the same time PPRC collects information on topics within Migration COP interest which could be gained from international experience of other CIS countries, countries of EU, the World (MIRPAL will consider possibility of assistance and knowledge sharing on these issues e.g., bringing experts, organizing roundtables, workshops, conferences).

Management and administration of network activities

•  PPRC is co-ordinating the project in overall and together with WB CCs and Secretariat of MIRPAL, coordinating efforts via mail and holding regular meetings, coordinates the events and network activities, coordinates the events and development of national network of migration COP.

•  Project team is introducing prepared by Migration COP network participants suggestions on improvement of regulatory and legal framework in above mentioned issues at interstate and interdepartmental levels and provide them to WB CC.

•  Monitor updates on the MIRPAL website at www.mirpal.org providing material at Kazakhstan page.

•  Brief the World Bank Country Coordinator (WB CC) on formal reforms, legislative acts, events, mass media information reflecting public opinion on migration in the country (on regular basis but not less than once a month).

•  Participate in the World Bank videoconferences with MIRPAL Core Team and WB CCs and suggest topics and material for discussion (quarterly)

•  Participate in the World Bank audio-conferences with WB CCs (monthly)

•  Participate in organizing and conduction of videoconferences, seminars, MIRPAL Conference and: (i) prepare the list of participants representing national Migration COP, (ii) prepare draft materials for discussion/presentation and provide them to the event participants, WB CC and MIRPAL Secretariat before the event, (iii) disseminate the event materials to Migration COP after the event.

•  Advertize MIRPAL website to Migration COP (add URL www.mirpal.org to business cards, signature in electronic message, etc.).

What was done in these areas?

·  Migration Journal, regional bulletin on migration was distributed to all network members.

·  Distribution of MIRPAL booklets at meeting with Migrant Support Centers and other events and meeting with partners

·  Successful contribution to the MIRPAL web site

·  Participate in the World Bank audio-conferences with WB CCs (monthly)

·  Migration Journal, regional bulletin on migration was distributed to all network members.

·  Distribution of MIRPAL booklets at meeting with Migrant Support Centers and other events and meeting with partners

·  Advertize MIRPAL website to Migration COP (add URL www.mirpal.org to business cards, please see attached file with scan of business card)

·  Participate in the World Bank audio-conferences with WB CCs

June 23, 2011

National Coordinator Makhmutova made presentation at IOM training for government officials from migration police regional departments in June 23, 2011 in Almaty. Please see attached file with article from mass media where stressed that Makhmutova, National coordinator of MIRPAL in Kazakhstan made presentation "Migration Policy of Kazakhstan: choosing of priorities".

October 13, 2011

In October 13 as a MIRPAL coordinator I was a chair on Migration session at EADB VI International conference "Customs Union and Single Economic Space of EvrAzEs: integration perspectives" and made presentation “Migration and remittances”. Please see attached file with agenda of this Conference.

6 December, 2011

I presented MIRPAL and World Bank at meeting with Ministry of Labor and Social protection on the discussion of the methodology of demand on labor migration in December 6, 2011 with involvement of IOM, and OSCE. I made a presentation Macroeconomic approach to the issues of foreign labor demand. Travel expenses were from my own finance, because in 2011 it wasn’t provided funding for MIRPAL country work. Please see attached file with agenda of this meeting.

First two week of February, 2012

PPRC team spent in February 2012 two weeks all our time, efforts and energy on developing suggestion on MIRPAL Regional Conference, I have send Conference Budget with all calculations for conducting of conference in Almaty and Astana. Topic that I suggested “Management of migration” was selected for first day high level meeting.

February 17, 2012

National coordinator participated at the meeting of IOM and UN Women with Migrant Support Centers from different oblasts in Kazakhstan and made presentation on MIRPAL work. It was my suggestion at this meeting to discuss migrant social protection issues at Regional conference of MIRPAL and Nargiz Azizova was a moderator of this session in Dushanbe. Please see attached file with agenda of this meeting.

June 14, 2012

National coordinator participated at the meeting of IOM with Migrant Support Centers from different oblasts in Kazakhstan. Please see attached file with agenda of this meeting.

Video-conferences

MIRPAL Kazakhstan network members participated in the World Bank videoconferences,

December 1, 2011: Technical v-c of national coordinators for discussion of country work plans

Astana office

Makhmutova, PPRC

December 1, 2011: Harnessing the Skilled Diaspora for Growth and Reforms in the ECA Region

Participants:

Makhmutova M., PPRC

Akhmetova A., PPRC

Bulesheva D., EcomigAral

Inoyatov Rahman, lower of the Center of Support Migrants

December 19, 2011 (WB office in Kazakhstan wasn’t connected to this v-c because of public holidays on Independence Day

January 19, 2012

MIRPAL workshop: 2012 Outlook for Migration and Remittances in ECA countries

Participants:

ALmaty office
Makhmutova M., PPRC

Akhmetova A., PPRC

Astana office:

1. Aibek , Committee of Financial Monitoring of the Ministry of Finance of the RoK

2. Madieva Nazira, Director of the Center of Support Migrants, Astana Branch of Red Cross

3. Duisenov Khasen, Head of the employment department of the Ministry of Labor

4. Bukanova Zhanna, Committee of the Migration Police of the Ministry of Interior Affairs

5. Madi Alzhan, expert of the employment department of the Ministry of Labor

it was 6pm and it was 50 grade below zero cold in Astana and these people attended our video-conference!

February 16, 2012

MIRPAL workshop: Estimate of Foreign Labor Demand in Russia and Kazakhstan

Participants:

Makhmutova M., PPRC

Shalus Pawel, IOM

Makhmutova made presentation “The Current Practice of Defining needs for Foreign Labor”

February 22, 2012

MIRPAL workshop: Migrants Reintegration and Entrepreneurship in the country of origin.

ALmaty office
Makhmutova M., PPRC

Akhmetova A., PPRC

This topic wasn’t interesting for our government officials, because wasn’t related to their work

National coordinator distributed report and suggested to discuss EADB migration report at video-conference which was supported by Sudharshan, I sent invitation to EADB with this idea, and invitations to video-conference to speakers (Ivakhnyuk and Izvorskii)

I can send you all mails for reminding of this. I believe that such kind of cross-institutional work can enrich all of us and help to promote migration policy.

March 28, 2012

Migration in the Common Economic Area (CEA): an analysis of economic, institutional and legal impact of ratification of the CEA agreements on labor migration.

ALmaty office
Makhmutova M., PPRC

Akhmetova A., PPRC

Sadovskaya E.

Absemetova Asem, EADB

Gladyr Natalya, Crisis Center’s Director

April 16, 2012

MIRPAL workshop: Assessing skills shortages in domestic labor market

ALmaty office
Makhmutova M., PPRC

Akhmetova A., PPRC

Mamadaliev E. WB

April , 2012: Technical v-c of national coordinators for discussion of Regional conference plans

Astana office

Makhmutova, PPRC

Analytical work

•  PPRC participate in preparation of the annual report on migration situation in Kazakhstan.

Two reports, first on the Methodology of Demand on Labor Force and second on Technical assistance to the National Bank were excluded from our Budget, because with them Budget was $59,300. It was suggested to exclude studies and it was promised separate contract for studies on individual base. I am sure Sudharshan remember this communication mails, letters were from Matin you address was in copy.

•  Next important work is technical assistance to the National Bank in improvement of the methodology of remittances measures.

•  Advisory services on migration to officials of the Government of the developing the methodology for estimating demand for foreign labour force will be implemented in cooperation with World Bank experts and IOM.

Meruert Makhmutova, PhD

Public Policy Research Center (PPRC)