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UNODC and the El Salvador Authorities sign the Project "Preventing and Fighting against Smuggling of Migrants and Trafficking in Persons in El Salvador"

San Salvador, June 7, 2017. The United Nations Regional Office on Drugs and Crime for Central America and the Caribbean in Panama (UNODC-ROPAN), and the Ministry of Justice and Public Security of El Salvador, signed the cooperation project "Preventing and Fighting against Smuggling of Migrants and Trafficking in Persons in El Salvador". The project was signed by Mr. Amado de Andrés, UNODC Regional Representative for Central America and the Caribbean and Mr. Mauricio Ramírez Landaverde, Minister of Justice and Public Security. This project is made possible as a result of the generous financial support provided by the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) of the Embassy of the United States in El Salvador.

The aim of the project it to strength El Salvador capacities to detect, investigates, prosecute and adjudicate cases of smuggling of migrants and trafficking in persons. The project will be implemented in a three-year period; the project's principal beneficiaries will be the National Council against Trafficking in Persons of El Salvador, National Civil Police, General Prosecutor of the Republic, General directorate of Migration and Foreigners and Supreme Court of Justice.

The project consists of 4 components:1) National legal framework on Smuggling of Migrants in line with Protocol against the Smuggling of Migrants by Land, Sea and Air, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime. 2) Strengthening of the detection, investigation and prosecution framework of smuggling of migrants and trafficking in persons in El Salvador. 3) Increased international cooperation in the investigation of cases of smuggling of migrants and trafficking in persons. 4) Enhanced prevention of cases of smuggling of migrants and trafficking in persons in El Salvador.

At the signing, both institutions highlighted the importance of strengthening the legal framework, as well as investigation into these types of crimes. It was also pointed out the need to carry out a strong work on prevention particularly among the most vulnerable persons. For this reason, the country will join the International Blue Heart Campaign against trafficking in persons.

Furthermore, at the press conference, UNODC and the Ministry of Justice and Public Security of El Salvador, confirmed their commitment to develop actions to prevent and combat illicit trafficking of migrants and trafficking in persons in El Salvador.