February 3, 2004
Romania takes lead role in fighting human trafficking
A specialized unit within the Ministry of Administration and Interior (MoAI) officially assumed responsibility today for the updating, dissemination, and promotion of the "Anti-Trafficking Law Enforcement Best Practice Manual", developed under a United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) project initiated in 2001 with funding from the U.S. Government.
Written for border police officers, specialized police units, and prosecutors, the Manual is a core element of a training strategy which has been endorsed by 13 South-Eastern European countries. It was officially adopted by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime at the regional law enforcement senior officials meeting in Vienna last December, along with a manual issued by the International Center for Migration Policy Development for general police. The regional anti-trafficking training strategy employing these two manuals is projected to be the most advanced anti-trafficking training program for law enforcement in the world.
Through the tri-partite Memorandum of Understanding signed today by Mr. Ioan Rus, Minister of Administration and Interior, Mr. Rodger Garner, Mission Director of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and Ms. Soknan Han Jung, UNDP Resident Representative in Romania, UNDP transferred all equipment and responsibility for the sustainability of project results to the MoAI's specialized unit, who will carry on regular updates and promotion of the Manual to beneficiary countries. These countries are Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Hungary, Serbia-Montenegro, FYR of Macedonia, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Slovenia, Turkey, and Ukraine, as well as the UN Mission in Kosovo.
Human trafficking, especially for sexual exploitation, is a critical problem for law enforcement agencies in South-Eastern Europe. Well-trained law enforcement officers, prosecutors, and judges knowledgeable about the special issues involved in human trafficking are a necessary part of all effective strategies to counter this crime. Through this project, Romania has taken a lead role in fighting human trafficking in the region.
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