Vietnam joins GMS countries in anti-human trafficking efforts

Last update 17/02/2012

VietNamNet Bridge – Vietnam has actively participated in regional and international forums, with a high sense of responsibility, and has fully implemented international commitments including those on fighting human trafficking with the Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS) countries.

Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said this in his speech at the third Inter-Ministerial Meeting (IMM-3) of the GMS countries on fighting human trafficking which took place in Hanoi on February 16 with the attendance of ministers from China, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand and Myanmar.

On behalf of the Vietnamese Government, Deputy PM Phuc thanked foreign governments and international organizations for their assistance and support for Vietnam in the cause of national construction and defence and in the fight against crime, especially human trafficking.

Over the past few years, Vietnam has become actively involved in the Coordinated Mekong Ministerial Initiative Against Trafficking (COMMIT) and expanded international cooperation with regional countries, as well as international organizations.

The country has promulgated a series of legal documents related to this field such as the Law on Child Protection, Care and Education, the Labour Code, the Law on Marriage and Family, the Law on Residence, the Law on Gender Equality and the Law on Vietnamese Employees Working Abroad.

Along with the National Assembly (NA) adoption of the Law against Human Trafficking in 2011, the Vietnamese Government has issued many documents on combating human trafficking and built national programmes addressing this issue for 2005-2010 and for 2011-2015, Mr Phuc said.

Vietnam has worked closely with regional countries and international organizations on building common legal foundations for preventing and controlling crime, including human trafficking.

The country is now involved in the United Nations Convention against Trans-national Organized Crime, has adopted the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, and the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, and has signed many agreements on legal aid and cooperation on the extradition of criminals, including human traffickers.

Deputy PM Phuc affirmed Vietnam’s commitments to fully implementing the Joint Statement signed at the IMM-3, and to actively participate in other regional activities.

Delegates at the IMM-3 heard reports of the eighth Senior Officials’ Meeting (SOM-8), and approved the Plan of Action (Second phase 2012-2013).

Ministers and government representatives from the six countries voiced their commitments to enhance bilateral and multilateral cooperation on combating human trafficking, and signed a Joint Statement on the issue.

After three days’ sitting, SOM-8 and IMM-3 ended in great success.

VNN/VOV/VNA