“Istanbul Commitments” adopted by close to 40 countries

The Budapest Process held its 6th Ministerial Conference in Istanbul on 19-20 February 2019, gathering 46 participating countries, the European Commission, European institutions and 10 regional and international organisations. The event was hosted by Turkey and chaired by H.E. Süleyman Soylu, Turkish Minister of Interior. 20 Ministers as well as the European Commissioner for Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship, Mr. Dimitris Avramopoulos, and 15 Deputy Ministers and States Secretaries took part in the conference. Close to 40 countries adopted the “Istanbul Commitments on the Silk Routes Partnership for Migration” and its action plan “A Call for Action – a five year plan” at the 6th Ministerial Conference.

This political declaration and action plan build upon the achievements of the 2013 Istanbul Ministerial Declaration on a Silk Routes Partnership for Migration while taking into account the migration developments of the past years. It introduces five commitments to be upheld in migration management – to partnership, to comprehensive migration management, to human rights, to support and solidarity and to knowledge. The Budapest Process will now focus on the implementation of the five-year action plan.

The official programme also included a Welcome Gala Dinner at Çirağan Palace with the attendance of H.E. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, President of the Republic of Turkey.