Islamabad (Pakistan), 26 April 2024 - The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) hosted a regional conference in collaboration with UNODC and the European Union (EU) to discuss the challenges of smuggling migrants from 26 to 27 April 2024 in Islamabad.
Migrant smuggling is a crime with high profits and a low risk of punishment for the criminals involved. Smugglers sell illegal and dangerous services to desperate people and are often part of a well-organized, multinational network. International cooperation is vital to combat this crime.
“This regional cooperation workshop constitutes a veritable part of our desire to benefit from the perspectives, expertise, as well as cooperation of our regional and international partners. The international community needs a “comprehensive approach” that helps safe, orderly and regular migration on the one hand, while addressing the negative impacts of irregular migration on the other” said Syrus Sajjad Qazi, the Foreign Secretary.
“Recent incidents, including the tragic event where 350 Pakistanis were on board a packed trawler that capsized off southern Greece on 14 June 2023, are a stark reminder of the urgent need for increased collaboration among nations to effectively address this complex crime,” said Jeremy Milsom, UNODC Representative in Pakistan.
The conference, held as part of the PROTECT: Improving Migration Management and Migrant Protection in Selected Silk Route Countries project, funded by the EU, and implemented in the framework of the Global Action against Trafficking in Persons and the Smuggling of Migrants (GLO.ACT), explored mechanisms to improve information-sharing between countries and emphasized victim-centered approaches to counter migrant smuggling.
The Deputy Head of the EU Delegation to Pakistan, Philipp Gross, stated that: “The importance of regional cooperation cannot be overstated in addressing the multifaceted challenges posed by human trafficking and smuggling of migrants. Routes originating in Pakistan, traversing through Iran and Türkiye, and ultimately reaching the European Union, serve as critical pathways for irregular migration. Formal and informal cooperation mechanisms along these routes are essential to disrupt criminal networks, dismantle smuggling rings and protect vulnerable migrants. The European Union launched the Global Alliance to Counter Migrant Smuggling in November 2023, to strengthen international cooperation to prevent and respond to migrant smuggling, and to provide alternatives to irregular migration. Today's regional conference is a primary example of key countries strengthening cooperation along a whole-of-route approach to counter this crime, In parallel, consistently addressing the root causes of irregular migration, such as poverty and conflict, remains imperative to deter people from embarking on perilous journeys. The EU remains committed to support Pakistan and regional partners towards these shared objectives.”
Participants discussed common challenges faced by countries, best practices in border security and investigations, and consulted on the possibility of establishment of a regional network/task force.
"It shouldn't take tragedies to bring us all together," Milsom concluded during his opening remarks. “The support of the European Union has led to significant milestones in the fight against migrant smuggling worldwide. This event is a unique opportunity.”
PROTECT: Improving Migration Management & Migrant Protection in Selected Silk Route Countries
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) is implementing the European Union-(EU) funded PROTECT initiative within the framework of GLO.ACT across Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, and Tajikistan. This initiative also addresses challenges in the broader Central Asia region, including the Kyrgyz Republic, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan, with a primary focus on enhancing the effectiveness of responses to trafficking in persons (TIP) and smuggling of migrants (SOM), particularly in relation to criminal justice. Meanwhile, the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) is responsible for implementing the PROTECT initiative in Afghanistan (specifically through virtual MRC Afghanistan), Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Pakistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. Their primary objectives include improving gender-sensitive and rights-based migration governance at the national level and establishing Migrant Resource Centres (MRCs).
This project is funded by the European Union.
For more information, please contact:
Shahida Gillani, National Project Officer
Email: Shahida.gillani@un.org
For more information, please visit:
https://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/human-trafficking/glo-act2/index.html
Email: glo.act@un.org
Twitter: @glo_act