Mekong subregion officials talk anti-human trafficking

Mekong Subregion Ministers ink the second joint declaration within the Cordinated Mekong Ministerial Initiative against Trafficking, Hà Nội, February 16, 2012 – Photo: VGP/Thành Chung

Opened the same day under the theme “Sustained Unity and Cooperation”, the meeting drew the participation of ministers from five other countries including China, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand and Myanmar and diplomatic representatives.

The event offered a venue for the Mekong subregion countries to share experience and good models of anti-human trafficking and review their achievements in conducting the second phase of the Subregion Action Plan (2008-2010). 

On behalf of the Vietnamese Government, Deputy Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc said that Việt Nam has taken positive steps to fulfill its regional commitments, especially those on human trafficking and link hands with other countries and international organizations to build a series of legal frameworks pertaining to the combat of human trafficking. 

The Deputy PM lauded the COMMIT, a unique and dynamic initiative in combating trafficking in human beings, particularly women and children.

“The Vietnamese Government commits to comply with the new Joint Declaration which has been signed by the Mekong Subregion Ministers and hopes to receive more support from external partners in the process of realizing the document,” said Mr. Phúc.

Under the newly-signed joint declaration, the six Mekong Subregion countries vow to continue heightening strongly the spirit of the COMMIT and maintaining the core regional cooperation framework in a bid to successfully minimize human trafficking.

The joint declaration targets to combat slavery in any form; push up the sharing of experience among COMMIT member states; make commitments on preventing and combating human trafficking; protect victims and conduct bilateral and multilateral consultations. 

Earlier, the eighth Senior Officials’ Meeting (SOM-8) on fighting human trafficking in the Mekong sub-regional countries took place in Hà Nội on February 14-15./.

By Hương Giang