An OSCE-organized regional workshop on the international humanitarian assistance for refugees, migrants and stateless people took place from 10 to 12 March 2026 in Ashgabat. The workshop brought together, online and in-person, officials from the five Central Asian countries’ border security and customs management, labor, social security and migration, law-enforcement and security services agencies, including local municipalities.
The Head of the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat and representatives of the State Migration Service of Turkmenistan and the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Turkmenistan made opening speeches.
“The world is changing rapidly and becoming more complex in many ways, said William Leaf, Head of the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat, in his address at the opening of the regional event. “Because of these dynamics and complexities, the cross-border movement of people is on the rise and will most probably continue to grow in the coming decades,” he underscored.
“This workshop is a timely and highly relevant event, focusing on the safe, orderly and dignified migration, a process that is based on good governance and international co-operation,” added Leaf.
The regional event served as a platform to expose participants to international best practices in providing international assistance to refugees, migrants and stateless persons in a humane way, respecting human rights, including from a gender and age perspective.
Representatives from the participating States exchanged experiences and best practices in providing international assistance to those in need. The event brought together leading subject matter experts from the OSCE Secretariat, UN High Commissioner for Refugees, International Organization for Migration and International Centre for Migration Policy Development.
The regional workshop was organized within the framework of the Centre’s extrabudgetary project “Strengthening State Border Service Capacities of Turkmenistan” and financially supported by the Government of Germany. /// OSCE Centre in Ashgabat, 12 Mar 2026