Liechtenstein has been the destination of asylum seekers from the Western Balkan countries for many years. They are not fleeing political persecution, but predominantly due to poverty and for economic reasons. As they have no grounds for asylum, they are usually repatriated. At the same time, the Balkan states are faced with the challenge of having to accommodate and care for refugees from crisis regions in the Middle East. The humanitarian situation of these migrants is often precarious and requires support.

Liechtenstein has a particular interest in combating unlawful migration from the Western Balkan states as well as supporting these countries locally with development projects. Together with Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo, Liechtenstein and Switzerland have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for a migration partnership.

The purpose of the MoU is to jointly improve the management of refugee flows and strengthen cooperation. Measures to more effectively curb irregular migration, prevent human trafficking, facilitate the issuing of visas and repatriate migrants are being implemented.