COMMIT’s 14th SOM takes place in Hanoi

The 14th Senior Officials Meeting (SOM) of the Coordinated Mekong Ministerial Initiative Against Trafficking (COMMIT) took place on December 16 in Hanoi.
Delegates at the event.
Delegates at the event. 

The event saw the presence of Major General Tran Ngoc Ha, Director of the Criminal Police Department under the Ministry of Public Security, Ms. Caitlin Wiesen, United Nations Development Program (UNDP) Resident Representative in Vietnam, representatives from the COMMIT member countries including: Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and China.

According to reports at the meeting, the COMMIT has supported all member countries, including Vietnam, to develop and implement human trafficking prevention programs; facilitated member countries’ building of the law on human trafficking prevention and combat; assisted each member country in organizing interdisciplinary training courses on human trafficking prevention and control for responsible officials at all levels; and created favorable conditions for all member countries to draft and sign bilateral agreements and memorandums of understanding on cooperation in the prevention of trafficking in persons.

Addressing the event, Major General Tran Ngoc Ha noted the importance of close, active and effective international cooperation, especially cooperation among the Sub-Mekong region countries, in preventing and combating human trafficking, given the complicated developments in the human trafficking situation in recent years.

Ms. Caitlin Wiesen appreciated the efforts of COMMIT member governments in the long-run fight against human trafficking. Since 2004, via the COMMIT, member countries have shown their commitment to fight against human trafficking, Wiesen emphasized. The UNDP commits to working closely with other countries in implementing  objectives, programs and plans to prevent and combat human trafficking.

Delegates at the meeting also discussed the results achieved in the implementation of COMMIT’s action plan in 2019 as well as the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on human trafficking and the responses of member countries to the situations.

They also shared experience in organizing forums on human trafficking for international organizations, non-governmental organizations and youths as well as lessons from their human trafficking prevention and combat. Delegates underlined the sustainability of the COMMIT process so as to respond effectively to ending trafficking in persons.

By DT

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