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Official Launch Ceremony of the Regional Training Programme to Combat Human Trafficking in the Greater Mekong Sub-region

Official launch ceremony of the Regional Training Programme to Combat Human Trafficking in the Greater Mekong Sub-region was held at the Mekong Institute at Khon Kaen University on 28 August 2006.

SIX MEKONG COUNTRIES JOIN IN HIGH-LEVEL TRAINING PROGRAMME TO FIND WAYS TO FIGHT CRIME OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING TOGETHER:

The official launch ceremony of the Regional Training Programme to Combat Human Trafficking in the Greater Mekong Sub-region was held at the Mekong Institute in the campus of Khon Kaen University on 28 August 2006. The Regional Training Programme is the first project under the COMMIT (Coordinated Mekong Ministerial Initiative Against Trafficking) Sub-regional Plan of Action organized by the UN-Inter Agency Project on Human Trafficking in the Greater Mekong Sub-region (UNIAP), who was appointed by the GMS governments as the Secretariat, and the Mekong Institute.

In her keynote speech, Ms. Joana Merlin-Scholtes, UN Resident Coordinator in Thailand, highlighted that the Regional Training Course “…reflects a recognition among all parties to the COMMIT process of the need to come together and learn, to review existing assumptions, to share best practices, and to fight this crime of human trafficking systematically.” Speaking on behalf of the GMS embassies, the Ambassador of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, His Excellency Mr. Nguyen Duy Hung expressed satisfaction on the progress currently made in the region to combat human trafficking but emphasized the need to do much more to make a difference. A key feature of the programme is the opportunity for participants to meet colleagues from neighboring countries, to share information and to build trust and relationships that will become important in fighting the crime of human trafficking in the region.

Ambassadors and senior officials from the Embassy of Cambodia, China, Lao PDR, Myanmar and Vietnam, senior officials of the Royal Thai Government, UN representatives, development partners from the Embassy of Sweden and the CIDA-funded SEARCH project were present on the occasion to commemorate the official launch of the highly regarded Regional Training Programme.

Altogether 29 middle to senior level government officials and International Non-government Organizations (INGOs) personnel from all six GMS countries will be attending this fourth training from 28 August to 06 September 2206.

For further information please contact:

Melissa Stewart
UNIAP Regional Information & Communications Officer
UN Inter-Agency Project on Human Trafficking in the Greater Mekong Sub-region
Tel: 662-288-2575
Email: melissa.stewart@un.or.th

Ms. Sanda Thant
Program Manager
Mekong Institute Foundation
Tel: 664-320-2411/2 ext. 112
Email: sanda@mekonginstitute.org

For more information, see: http://www.no-trafficking.org/inet_newsmanager/news_detail.aspx?news_id=11