Source: African Union Commission (AUC) |

AU-HOAI Second Ministerial Conference opens with a call for more synergies and coordination to address human trafficking and smuggling of migrants in the Horn of Africa

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, June 6, 2016/APO (African Press Organization)/ --

Curbing the phenomena of Human Trafficking and Smuggling of Migrants in the Horn of Africa require more cooperation and synergies between the Core countries of the Horn of Africa and the Neighboring countries. This comes at the opening of the Second Ministerial Conference of the African Union - Horn of Africa Initiative (AU-HOAI), Saturday 4th June 2016, at the Rixos -Seagate Resort in Sharm-El Sheikh, Egypt.

In his welcoming remarks, H.E. Mr. Mustapha Sidikie Kaloko, Commissioner of Social Affairs of the African Union Commission, acknowledges that human trafficking is an issue that ought to be a concern to every person because it debases common humanity and tears at our social fabric.

Highlighting the mechanisms and efforts to address human trafficking at the continental, regional and member states levels, Commissioner Kaloko noted that the challenges of migration and the problems of human trafficking in particular should be addressed from a regional and global perspective and must be situated in the context of poverty eradication and sustainable development.

“I urge all of us here to galvanise our commitments to this cause by ratifying the Trafficking in Persons Protocol and in implementing the outcomes of this meeting,  to ,secure justice for victims on and from our continent, and  end impunity for traffickers” he concluded.

Speaking earlier in opening remarks, H.E. Ambassador Hamdi Sanad Loza, Deputy Foreign Minister for African Affairs of the Arab Republic of Egypt,  said that the Regional Conference is an important forum that brings together a large number of countries concerned with human trafficking and exploitation of migrants, which is one of the most dangerous crimes that target human dignity and rights. “We should strive to reach a common ground in which we can address the negative phenomenon resulting from human movements”, he added.

The Deputy Minister emphasized that a viable solution to this crisis is to look deeply into the roots of the problem and develop practical solutions in the short, medium and long term, and called on  Member States to work together in finding solutions within the framework of this African initiative.

During the meeting, the Ministers deliberated on the way forward for strengthening collaboration and cooperation within the Initiative, in dealing with human trafficking and migrants smuggling within and from the Horn of Africa. They also considered and adopted the Declaration and the Report of the Senior Officials Meeting, held on 2-3 June.

Organized by the African Union (AU) in collaboration with the Government of the Arab Republic of Egypt, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the 2nd Regional Ministerial Conference was attended by Ministers and Experts from the AU-HOAI Core Countries of Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia and Sudan, and the Neighboring Countries of  Kenya, Somalia and South Sudan, as well as partner governments and institutions.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Union Commission (AUC).