BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan
On 2-5 June, UNRCCA and the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT), serving as the Secretariat of the Council, together with the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Programme Office in Bishkek and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), organized the Third Meeting of the Central Asia Regional Expert Council on the Rehabilitation and Reintegration of Returnees from Conflict Zones, held under the 2026 Chairpersonship of the Kyrgyz Republic.
The meeting was hosted by the Secretariat of the Security Council of the Kyrgyz Republic in Issyk-Kul, with additional financial support provided by the European Union and the Government of Kazakhstan.
The agenda of the meeting included thematic sessions on country-specific efforts and initiatives, international and regional cooperation, criminal justice coordination, long-term reintegration and resocialization, as well as communication and engagement strategies for returnees and receiving communities.
The meeting provided a platform for more than 70 participants representing government institutions from all five Central Asian States, as well as Iraq and the Maldives, civil society organizations, United Nations entities, regional organizations and the expert community, to exchange experiences and discuss practical approaches to supporting individuals repatriated from conflict-affected areas of Syria and Iraq, with a particular focus on women and children.
Participants also visited the “Altyn-Balalyk” Rehabilitation Center in Cholpon-Ata, where they learned about the Kyrgyz Republic’s experience in providing rehabilitation, psychosocial support, and reintegration assistance to returned children and their mothers.
Established in 2022, the Regional Expert Council serves as a platform for strengthening regional co-operation and promoting the exchange of experiences and good practices among the Central Asian states and international partners.
