Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), Hido Biscevic, and Director of the Migration, Asylum, Refugees Regional Initiative (MARRI), Trpe Stojanovski, signed today at the RCC Secretariat in Sarajevo a Memorandum of Understanding on development of an effective regional cooperation on issues of migration, asylum, refugee return, visa policies and border management.

The agreement is to enable cooperation in areas of common concern, in order to promote rule of law principles and strengthen regional cooperation in South East Europe (SEE). More specifically, it will support the efforts of the countries in SEE to respond to and identify the threats emanating from illegal migration and trafficking in human beings; sustain regional cooperation among migration, asylum, refugee, border and consular authorities; and foster collaboration in South East Europe based on shared policy approaches and strategies, transfer of knowledge, experience and best practices, mutual assistance, and implementation of international standards and principles.

Secretary General Biscevic and Director Stojanovski underlined the importance of providing continuous and unreserved support to the development and promotion of regional cooperation, which is also a key to a successful European and Euro-Atlantic integration of the region.