SARAJEVO, Bosnia and Hercegovina – The MARRI Regional Forum was held in Sarajevo on 26 April 2007. Bosnia and Herzegovina concluded its year-long Presidency within the framework of MARRI, while the Republic of Croatia took over the one-year Presidency of the initiative that will last from April 2007 to April 2008.
This meeting gathered regional high state representatives responsible for issues of migration, asylum and refugees of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia, while the participants also included representatives of EU Member States’ representatives, relevant international organisations (European Commission, ICMPD, IOM, OSCE and UNHCR) and the Stability Pact for South East Europe.
The MARRI Member State high state representatives have presented the situation and priorities of their countries in the fields of migration, asylum and refugee return, visa and consular cooperation and integrated border management. The main document was adopted (Sarajevo Declaration), where the governments have expressed further readiness to manage population movements in SEE, with particular focus on enhancing regional cooperation, regional ownership and increasing MARRI Member States’ capacities to continue developing migration management as a part of responsible and good governance. The countries have emphasised the relevance of cooperation between governmental institutions and agencies responsible for migration on national and regional level with objective to develop sound migration management in the MARRI Member States.
The MARRI National Coordinator in the Republic of Croatia, Assistant Minister MFA EI, Mr. Pjer Simunovic, presented priorities of Croatian MARRI Presidency. The Presidency will channel the needs, interests and concerns of MARRI Member States in dealing with population movements, strengthening regional cooperation and harmonisation of existing experiences and best practices on the road towards EU integration, as well as building the capacities and raising awareness of their state administration of the migration issues. The activities towards achieving a better communication between MARRI and the European Commission, other regional initiatives and international organisations/agencies will be one of the Presidency’s priorities. Special attention will be attached to communication with the future Regional Cooperation Council (RCC). The Presidency will enhance and coordinate activities regarding the establishment of effective response mechanisms to combat illegal migration, smuggling in migrants and trafficking in human beings in MARRI Member States. The Presidency will also work on improving cross border cooperation to increase efficiency, facilitate trade and prevent/reduce crime and irregular migration. In general, the Republic of Croatia will invest necessary efforts in strengthening and promoting MARRI and, in particular, in further developing the concept of regional ownership.
At the end, the MARRI Member States have committed to improve their level of regional ownership through taking full responsibility in decision-making and financial obligations, through jointly financing from 2008 onwards the running costs of the MARRI Regional Centre in Skopje, as well as through financial contribution for concrete projects and activities implemented by the MARRI Regional Centre. Reaffirming commitment to the concept of regional ownership, the MARRI Member States have agreed that the position of a new Director of the MARRI Regional Centre will be soon assumed by the most qualified candidate from a MARRI Member State. In the meantime, the Deputy Director of the MARRI Regional Centre, as occupied by the Centre’s State Official of Croatia, shall act as Acting Head of the MARRI Regional Centre until the arrival of a new Director.