In October 2022, ICMPD launched the new project titled Resilience, Reinforcement and Recovery of Ukrainian Migration and Consular Services (RRR MFA/SMS) to support the State Migration Service as well as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine to protect and provide state services and assistance to the citizens of Ukraine fleeing the war. The project prioritises actions in the Czech Republic, Germany and Poland, the three countries currently hosting the majority of Ukrainian nationals under temporary protection. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine is currently under preparation and awaiting signature.
The project aims to contribute to the resilience, reinforcement and recovery of Ukrainian migration and consular governance by strengthening the capacities of national authorities to ensure the safe international mobility of Ukrainian citizens, including preparations for return. The project focuses on measures needed to ensure the safe mobility of Ukrainians, including the efficient provision of consular assistance to citizens abroad. Thematically, the RRR-MFA/SMS project is based on the following specific objectives:
- Ensure efficient services to provide assistance, documentation, information on rights and obligations related to temporary protection status and consultations on voluntary repatriation and reintegration back in Ukraine;
- Enhance technical and operational capacities of consular services as well as optimisation and modernisation of the consular crisis management system;
- Restore and enhanced migration procedures in Ukraine; and
- Support harmonisation of migration and consular procedures with the respective EU Acquis, including strengthening anti-corruption measures and human resource management.
Several assessment missions have taken place since the project’s launch, mainly to the three destination countries: Poland, Czech Republic and Germany. The visits have aimed to gain first-hand information and knowledge on the overall situation and needs of Ukrainian displaced persons in the three countries, to gain insight into the services and support provided to them, and to get acquainted with key state and non-state agencies involved in the service-provision to Ukrainian migrants, including government and municipal actors, NGOs, diaspora organisations and the Ukrainian Consular offices.
High-level visit to Krakow
Moreover, the project team organised a high-level Ukrainian official’s visit to Krakow, Poland, on 26-27 October 2022, where the participants had an opportunity to visit the Ukrainian State Enterprise “Document” Mobile Centres in the city centre of Krakow. The State Enterprise “Document” acts as a front office of the State Migration Service and provides Ukrainian citizens with passports, national IDs and driver’s licenses, while simultaneously supporting the Ukrainian consulates in their work. The project also aims to support the opening of State Enterprise “Document” branches in the Czech Republic and Germany by purchasing essential equipment to facilitate its operations.
While in Krakow, a high-level meeting was held with the Malopolskie Voivodeship in Krakow, headed by Natalia Naumenko, the Chairwoman of the State Migration Service of Ukraine, with the discussion mainly focused on the situation of Ukrainian displaced persons in Poland, the needs and challenges they face in addition to the support the Polish government has provided since the military invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Since the launch of the project, the ICMPD team has held multiple official visits and meetings with the Ukrainian diplomatic representatives in Warsaw, Krakow, Gdansk, Prague and Berlin.
Handover of up-to-date and modern tech and computer equipment
In addition, within the framework of the project, ICMPD carried out provision and handover of up-to-date and modern tech and computer equipment for two Ukrainian consulates. The official handover of the IT equipment to the Embassy of Ukraine in Prague, Czech Republic took place on 1 February 2023 and to the Embassy of Ukraine in Berlin, Germany on 28 February 2023. The RRR-MFA/SMS project entails optimisation of consular services and enhancement of consular assistance provision to Ukrainian displaced persons in the three destination countries. Therefore, the project will continue equipping Ukrainian consulates with modern hardware in order to enable efficient consular service provision.
Diaspora
Furthermore, diaspora engagement and enhancement of the capacities of Ukrainian diaspora in Czech Republic, Germany and Poland is one of the areas of operation under the current project. Diaspora organisations hold a significant role in humanitarian relief during war, in addition to providing support and mentorship to the newly arrived compatriots seeking temporary protection in the mentioned countries.
The financial support of the donors also allows the project to strengthen the already existing services and information available to Ukrainian citizens in the mentioned countries and open Ukrainian Consultation Centres. The centres will facilitate provision of information and consultations on the main issues of Ukrainian citizens abroad and at a later stage, will aim to support sustainable return and reintegration to Ukraine.
The 32-month project is funded by the Ministry of Interior and Community of Germany and the Ministry of Interior of the Czech Republic and implemented by ICMPD’s Eastern Europe and Central Asia Regional Office.