EU Ambassador, Austria Ministers visit Tashkent Migrant Resource Centre

The visit highlighted the impact of the EU-funded PROTECT project and the EU’s continued support for safe, orderly, and regular migration in Uzbekistan and across Central Asia. It also demonstrated how European cooperation translates into concrete, people-centred services on the ground.

Ambassador Klaar underlined that “migration remains an important area of cooperation between the EU and Uzbekistan; closely linked to employment, skills development, social protection, and regional stability. EU support focuses not only on policy dialogue, but also on practical assistance that directly benefits individuals and communities.”

The visit further strengthened cooperation between the EU, Austria, ICMPD and Uzbekistan, and reaffirmed their shared commitment to safe, orderly and regular migration – including labour migration regular pathways, across Central Asia. Ministers Meinl-Reisinger and Karner’s visit also highlighted Austria’s active engagement in migration dialogue, legal pathways, and the importance of broader European cooperation in promoting practical and effective migration management.

The PROTECT project is implemented by ICMPD to support stronger migration governance, promote safe and regular labour migration pathways, and enhance migrant protection across the Central Asian region. The MRC operates in close cooperation with the Uzbek Migration Agency under the Cabinet of Ministers. Established in August 2025, the Centre in Tashkent is the most recent Centre in a growing regional network of MRCs across Central Asia and the Silk Routes regions; building on over a decade of operational experience. 

As a government-embedded service platform, the MRC provides reliable information, counselling and referral support to people planning to work abroad, as well as to returning migrants and their families. It supports informed decision-making and contributes to reducing risks linked to irregular migration, fraudulent recruitment, trafficking in persons and unsafe employment practices abroad. By promoting access to safe and regular migration pathways, it plays a key role in strengthening migrant protection. 

In addition to office-based counselling, the MRC carries out outreach activities in universities, vocational training centres, Monocentres, mahallas and migrant-sending regions across Uzbekistan, including Andijan and Samarkand. This approach ensures that accurate and timely information reaches local communities where migration decisions are made. Special attention is given to pre-departure orientation, ethical recruitment practices and cooperation with labour attachés and private employment agencies.

The MRC also works closely with the EU Delegation, diplomatic missions, civil society organisations and national partners to improve coordination and access to reliable migration information.