On November 27, 2024, Tashkent will host the Second Meeting of the Regional Expert Council on the Rehabilitation and Reintegration of Returnees from Conflict Zones.

The event is organized by the Institute for Strategic and Regional Studies under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the OSCE, the UNOCT, and the UNRCCA.

About 40 representatives of Central Asian governments, international organizations, and civil society will attend the event.

At the meeting, it is planned to consider the best practices in implementing rehabilitation and reintegration programs, including initiatives led by civil society, and developing recommendations for cooperation between civil structures, governments and international organizations.

It should be noted that Central Asia has already established itself as a leader in the rehabilitation and reintegration of returnees from conflict zones. Since 2019, more than 2,100 citizens of the region, including women and children, have been successfully repatriated. Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan have implemented many humanitarian operations and have accumulated unique experience in this area.

The meeting in Tashkent will become the next step in strengthening international and regional cooperation.

For information: the activities of the Regional Expert Council in Central Asia on the rehabilitation and reintegration of returnees from conflict zones were launched on May 14, 2024 in Tashkent.

The structure of the REC consists of an Executive Committee and four working groups - (a) on accountability, legal and judicial issues; (b) on psychosocial support, health and education; (c) on countering terrorist narratives; (d) on civil society, including women's and youth groups, which meet on a regular basis to provide recommendations and/or proposed solutions based on consensus.

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