ANNEX Conclusions of the Regional Conference on Prevention and Reduction of Statelessness and Protection of Stateless Persons in Central Asia Ashgabat, Turkmenistan 9-10 December 2009 Since independence, the Central Asian States have taken major steps to avoid future statelessness, to grant nationality to stateless persons and to ensure that they enjoy a broad range of fundamental rights until such time as their status can be resolved. This is particularly the case for persons who became stateless as a result of state succession. Prior to the regional conference, UNHCR organized national roundtables in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan, where government representatives, together with UN and NGO partners, discussed best practices and remaining challenges in addressing statelessness in each State. In some countries, the roundtables led to the drafting of national action plans to address statelessness. Among the good State practices brought to light by the Regional Conference are:
Campaigns to replace USSR passports with valid identity documents;
The identification of cases of statelessness through outreach and systematic registration of persons of undetermined or undocumented citizenship;
Legal reform to remove legislative gaps which cause statelessness;
Prompt, efficient and accessible birth registration;
Adopting a flexible approach to proof of continuous residence on State territory for the purpose of confirmation or acquisition of citizenship;
Legal reforms which have allowed for conferral of citizenship on some categories of stateless persons on the basis of residence;
Granting nationality to large numbers of stateless persons;
Granting a legal status to stateless persons and ensuring their enjoyment of a wide range of fundamental rights;
Close cooperation between legislative, executive and judicative authorities, UNHCR, other UN agencies and civil society for the prevention and reduction of statelessness and the protection of stateless persons. At the same time, the Conference has demonstrated that a range of challenges continue to cause statelessness and pose obstacles to resolving the situation of stateless persons in Central Asia. We, the participants of the Regional Conference on Prevention and Reduction of Statelessness and Protection of Stateless Persons in Central Asia, recognize the importance of: The conference was funded by the European Commission ~ 73 ~