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UNODC Training to Somaliland Law Enforcement Officials on Responses to Trafficking in Persons

Hargeisa - September 2018: UNODC Regional Office for Eastern Africa (ROEA) presented a 4-day training of trainer's workshop for law enforcement officials in Hargeisa which aimed at enhancing the knowledge and skills to effectively investigate Trafficking in Persons.

The workshop was presented from 3 - 6 September 2018 in Hargeisa, Somaliland by UNODC expert, Mr. Kelvin Lay. The workshop had a total of thirty-three officials from Somaliland Police Force, Immigration Department, the coast guard and Ministry of Interior security department.

Speaking on behalf of the authorities of Somaliland, the Director General of Security, Ministry of Interior Somaliland, Mr. Muktar Ali expressed his gratitude to UNODC and US Department of State for the training initiative. Mr. Ali stated: "Trafficking in Persons is a common problem and phenomenon that Somaliland is facing, and the training workshop was the first step to consolidate future actions on addressing Trafficking in Persons".

Organized crime, in particular trafficking in persons and migrants smuggling, poses a great threat in Eastern Africa. The workshop participants shared numerous examples of transnational organized crimes affecting their countries, together with the difficulties to investigate and prosecute them in the absence of the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and its supplementing Protocols on Smuggling of Migrants, Trafficking in Persons and Illicit Manufacturing of Firearms.

Mr. Kelvin Lay, UNODC Law Enforcement Advisor, gave remarks on behalf of UNODC programme team. Mr. Lay thanked participants for accepting invite to attend the workshop and thanked the representatives from the various departments present on their efforts to address Trafficking in Persons challenges. In addition, Mr. Lay confirmed to participants that UNODC is committed to partnering with a broad range of stakeholders so that together, we may better prevent the crime from occurring. He also highlighted the importance of enhancing the capacity of Law Enforcement officials to effectively investigate Trafficking in Persons, while ensuring a victim-centred approach, in accordance with international obligations.

The training was financially supported by the US Department of State Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons (J/TIP) and organized within the framework of the UNODC Regional Programme for Eastern Africa (2016-2021) entitled: "Promoting the Rule of Law and Human Security in Eastern Africa".

The training workshop forms part of a series of training activities being organized by UNODC in Somaliland under its Countering Transnational Organized Crime and Illicit Trafficking Programme for Eastern Africa.