UAE joins Bali Process to combat human trafficking and related crimes

Abu Dhabi, April 7, 2013 (WAM) - The United Arab Emirates announced it was joining the Bali Process on People Smuggling, Trafficking in Persons and Related Transnational Crime (Bali Process) in an effort to combat human trafficking and related crimes. The announcement was made during the UAE's participation in the Fifth Regional Ministerial Conference of the Bali Process in Indonesia organised. The UAE was represented at the meeting by Dr. Abdul Raheem Al Awadhi, Assistant Foreign Minister for Legal Affairs, and Dr. Saeed Mohammed Al Ghafli, Assistant Undersecretary for Federal National Council Affairs, Ministry of State for Federal National Council Affairs, and member of the National Committee to Combat Human Trafficking. Dr. Al Awadhi described the Bali Process as an effective mechanism to promote cooperation and exchange experiences between member countries and international organisations. He pointed out that the UAE was working to tackle the global menace of human trafficking through a national strategy based on the five pillars of prevention, protection, judicial prosecution, punishment and international cooperation. Dr. Al Awadhi added that the UAE has been able to achieve major milestones in the fight against human trafficking, particularly in regard to the protection and care for victims of trafficking. "The UAE provides four shelter homes for victims of trafficking in our efforts to rehabilitate such victims and ensure their safe return to their respective countries in coordination with competent authorities in the country of their origin," Dr. Al Awadhi said. It is worth mentioning that one of the main recommendations of the ministerial conference is the adoption of a programme, sponsored by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, to record information and share data on human trafficking. The members agreed to work on the programme during the coming period by adopting a hotline for reporting human trafficking within the Bali Process. – Emirates News Agency, WAM