Uzbekistan opens first migrant resource centre with EU support
Tashkent facility will guide citizens on safe, legal migration while tackling irregular migration and human trafficking risks
TASHKENT, Uzbekistan (MNTV) — Uzbekistan has launched its first Migrant Resource Centre (MRC), a facility designed to provide citizens with guidance on safe migration pathways and protection from human trafficking. The centre opened Thursday in the capital as part of an EU-funded program to strengthen migration governance across Central Asia.
According to The Tashkent Times, the new facility is part of the EU-backed PROTECT initiative, implemented with the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) and Uzbekistan’s Migration Agency.
The project, running from 2023 to 2026, is designed to improve migrant services in the Silk Routes and Central Asian countries.
The Tashkent centre is the third of its kind in the region, following similar facilities in Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It will provide Uzbek citizens with pre-departure counselling, reintegration support for returnees, information on legal work opportunities abroad, and awareness programs on the dangers of irregular migration.
Officials said outreach campaigns will also target communities nationwide, with data feeding into evidence-based policy design.
The opening ceremony brought together more than 60 representatives from the Uzbek government, EU member states, UN agencies, embassies, and civil society groups.
EU Ambassador Toivo Klaar called the launch “a crucial step” in supporting people to make informed decisions. He said the centre aligns with the EU’s Global Gateway strategy, which aims to create sustainable opportunities at home to reduce the drivers of irregular migration.
ICMPD Deputy Director General Sedef Dearing said the Tashkent facility is the 14th in a global MRC network and will serve as a “practical and timely resource” for both prospective migrants and returning citizens. She noted that centres in Dushanbe and Osh have already reached tens of thousands through counselling sessions and more than a million via online campaigns.
Officials confirmed that the Tashkent MRC will gradually expand to regional hubs and work with local partners to strengthen awareness.
Analysts say the initiative represents a growing emphasis on migration governance in Uzbekistan, where remittances play a critical role in the national economy and irregular migration remains a persistent challenge.
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