Tashkent, Uzbekistan (May 18-19, 2026) – The first Tashkent International Migration Forum on “Social and Legal Protection of Labor Migrants and Their Family Members” was held in Tashkent in cooperation with the Migration Agency under the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan and the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
This forum brought together more than 600 participants from over 40 countries of Central Asia, Asia, Europe, and the USA to promote safe, orderly, and legal migration.
The forum demonstrated the growing importance of migration as an important factor in sustainable development and economic stability. According to the 2026 World Migration Report of the International Organization for Migration, there are an estimated 304 million international migrants worldwide, 168 million of whom are labor migrants. They make significant contributions to the global labor market and economic growth. Migrants also sent remittances home to their families in the amount of an estimated 905 billion US dollars each year.
During the Forum representatives of governments, the United Nations, private sector and civil society discussed issues of expanding regular migration pathways, promoting the principles of orderly organization, ensuring the rights and well-being of migrants, and strengthening international cooperation in these areas.
At the same time, special attention was paid to new global challenges, such as the impact of climate change on population mobility.
With a population of over 38 million, Uzbekistan is the most populous country in Central Asia and has one of the youngest demographic compositions in the region. Today, remittances are becoming one of the important factors in the country’s economic development. Currently, 1.2 million citizens of Uzbekistan are officially working abroad.
Speaking at the forum, Behzod Musaev, Director of the Migration Agency under the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan, noted: “We want our citizens to be valued for their hard work, knowledge, and responsibility wherever they may be in the world.”
Today, Uzbekistan is recognized by the UN as a country that actively promotes reforms in migration management aligned with the goals of the Global Compact for Migration (GCM) and demonstrates best practices.
Arthur Erken, Regional Director of the International Organization for Migration for Europe and Central Asia, emphasized the importance of the forum, noting: “At a time when human mobility is shaping economies and societies worldwide, this Forum provides an opportunity to define how migration can be managed in a way that maximizes its potential and benefits both migrants and societies alike.” ///ECA IOM, 18 May 2026