United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime

The UNODC Regional Office in East Africa (ROEA)

UNODC launching project to counter Human Trafficking in Ethiopia

Addis Ababa (Ethiopia), 28 June 2022 – UNODC, the Ethiopian Federal Ministry of Justice and the U.S. Embassy have launched a project to counter Human Trafficking in Ethiopia at a ceremony in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

The project, also known as “Enhancing Effective and Victim-Centred Criminal Justice Responses to Trafficking in Persons in Ethiopia, funded by the U.S. Department of State Office has been implemented since 2020 and will be implemented over the course of four years until 2024. 

Present at the ceremony, State Minister of the Ethiopia Ministry of Justice, Mr Fikadu Tsega, remarked on the importance of strengthening the criminal justice system to effectively counter human trafficking and complimented UNODC the US state department and for the support provided, also stressing the need for continuity.  

Also present at the ceremony, Ms Fiona Evans Deputy Chief of Mission U.S. Embassy to Ethiopia, addressed the gravity of the crime of human trafficking as also a violation of human rights and complimented Ethiopia’s legislative and institutional effort as a member state to counter the crime.

The Head of UNODC Counter Transnational Organized Crime, Illicit Trafficking and Terrorism Programmes, Ms Maria Temesvari, congratulated UNODC and the US state department for officially launching the project and admired the great efforts and collaboration between UNODC and the government of Ethiopia for the cooperation and implementation in countering the crimes of TIP.

The overall goal of the project is to strengthen the Rule of Law through more accessible, accountable and effective criminal justice systems by enhancing the strategic and operational capacity of Ethiopia to respond to the crime of Trafficking in Persons and ensure access to justice and fair treatment for victims of TIP.

The main objectives are to strengthen the capacity of the Witness Protection Directorate to effectively provide victim and witness assistance and protection in cases of TIP; and to enhance effective criminal justice responses to prevent, suppress and punish child trafficking in particular the problems of children in domestic servitude and commercial sexual exploitation. 

The project is implemented within the framework of the UNODC Regional Programme for Eastern Africa (2016-2022) – Promoting the Rule of Law.

For more facts and achievements from the project, see the factsheet here.

For more information on the UNODC Blue Heart Campaign, click here.

For UNODC’s Strategic Vision for Africa (2030), click here.

For more information, please contact:

Ms Asmert Tesfai (asmert.tesfai@un.org)
Associate Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Officer
UNODC Regional Office for Eastern Africa