Bratislava – On Wednesday (24/1) the Director of IOM’s Vienna Regional Office Argentina Szabados met with the State Secretary of the Slovak Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs Lukas Parizek in the capital, Bratislava. 

Slovakia assumes the annual Chairmanship of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in 2019.

The meeting explored how the Slovak Republic can prepare for its OSCE Chairmanship and how it can advance migration priorities with OSCE States.

IOM’s Szabados welcomed Slovakia’s appointment as chair of the largest regional security and cooperation grouping in the world, as well as its advancement of OSCE’s current priorities, including migration. “IOM looks forward to continued cooperation with the Government of Slovakia in advancing migration governance both bilaterally and multilaterally within the OSCE framework,” she said.

Szabados noted IOM’s extensive presence throughout the region, with interventions in areas ranging from curbing human smuggling and trafficking, to preventing and combating violent extremism, as well as migration and development programming. She emphasized the importance IOM, as the UN Migration Agency, places on gender aspects of its work.

State Secretary Parizek, and Director General for International Organizations, Development Assistance and Humanitarian Aid Karla Wursterova, expressed their appreciation of  IOM’s office in Bratislava to IOM Regional Director Szabados, and to Head of Office Zuzana Vatraľová. Secretary Parízek noted that “Since Slovakia became an IOM Member State in 1996, it has been pleased to be a contributor to the Organization's budget, and its programming.” He added that he looks forward to further deepening Slovakia’s relations with IOM as a practical and constructive partner on migration issues.

For more information please contact Amr Taha, IOM Regional Office in Vienna, Tel: +43 660 535 3658, Email ataha@iom.int.