The Government of Lao PDR and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on “Building the National and Local capacity to Combat Trafficking in Persons in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic” on 30 June at Lao Plaza Hotel in Vientiane Capital.
The new partnership between the Government of Lao PDR, particularly the Office of the Secretariat to the National Committee on Anti-Trafficking in Person (OSAHT) and IOM, was supported by the Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons (J/TIP), and the United States Department of State.
The project was designed to assist the Government of Lao PDR in combating trafficking in persons at national and sub-national levels through 3P’s (Protection, Prevention, and Prosecution) to effectively meet the obligations and sustainably strengthen the existing policies related to anti-trafficking in persons and to increase the enforcement at all national and sub-national levels which will draw upon its experiences and established relationships to build the capacities of the Lao authorities.
The signing ceremony was co-signed by Pol. Col Latsamy Xayyakham, Director General of Department of Anti-Trafficking in Persons Police, Head of the Office of the Secretariat to the National Committee on Anti-Trafficking in Persons, and Ms. Shareen Tuladhar, Chief of Mission, IOM Mission in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic.
The ceremony gathered the relevant line ministries, representatives from the members of the National Committee on Anti-Trafficking in Persons, and the representative from the Embassy of the United States of America to the Lao People’s Democratic Republic.
During the momentous signing ceremony, Pol. Col Latsamy Xayyakham expressed his sincere gratitude for the support from the Government of the United States of America through IOM to the Lao People’s Democratic Republic. He added, “This has significantly contributed to the National Committee on Anti-Trafficking in persons to combat trafficking in persons, aligned with the Government’s commitments under the ASEAN Convention Against Trafficking in Person, especially Women and Children.
The Government of Lao PDR wishes for continued support from IOM in the area of migration including the capacity building programs, labor migration, anti-trafficking in persons, and related activities.”
In addition, Ms. Shareen Tuladhar, Chief of Mission, IOM Mission in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, added, “since the Lao People’s Democratic Republic became a member state of IOM in 2018, the Government of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic has demonstrated energetic efforts to counter-trafficking.”
Ms. Tuladhar expressed her appreciation to represent IOM in witnessing the memorable and meaningful ceremony between the Office of the Secretariat to the National Committee on Anti-Human Trafficking in Persons and IOM and affirmed her commitment to support the Government of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic to combat trafficking in persons.”
