TASHKENT, May 18. /Dunyo IA/. This morning, the first Tashkent International Migration Forum under the theme “Social and Legal Protection of Labour Migrants and Their Family Members” began its work in the capital of Uzbekistan, reports Dunyo IA correspondent from the venue.

The forum is organized by the Migration Agency of Uzbekistan in cooperation with the International Organization for Migration (IOM). More than 600 participants from over 40 countries across Central Asia, Asia, Europe, and the United States are taking part in the event.

During the forum, participants are expected to discuss the expansion of legal migration pathways, the protection of the rights and welfare of labour migrants, and the strengthening of international cooperation in the field of migration. Special attention will be given to the impact of climate change on population mobility and issues of sustainable development.

According to data from the IOM, there are approximately 304 million international migrants worldwide, of whom 168 million are labour migrants. Annual remittances sent by migrants to their families amount to around 905 billion US dollars.

At the conclusion of the forum, new agreements are expected to be signed between international employers and the Migration Agency, aimed at developing transparent and mutually beneficial labour migration systems.

The forum will also host the opening ceremony of the International Language and Vocational Training Center “INTIL,” which specializes in training Uzbek citizens in modern professions and foreign languages for future employment abroad.

The center’s activities are aimed at increasing the competitiveness of Uzbek citizens in the global labour market and creating conditions for legal and safe employment overseas.