Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin, Jr. and his UAE counterpart Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan sign an MOU to combat human trafficking. (DFA photo)

A memorandum of understanding on Cooperation in Combating Human Trafficking was signed between the Philippines and the United Arab Emirates last week in New York.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin, Jr. and UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan signed the MOU on the sidelines of the 74th United Nations General Assembly.

Under the MOU, the Philippines and the UAE will adopt procedures to combat human trafficking, share best practices, exchange information, promote human rights, and provide assistance in the protection, rescue, repatriation, recovery, and rehabilitation of trafficking victims in accordance with domestic laws.

The signing of the MOU also seeks to strengthen the bilateral relations and cooperation between the Philippines and the UAE. Both countries ratified the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC) and the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children (Palermo Protocol).

The Philippines has been in the forefront of the fight against human trafficking. By forging international cooperation and arrangements, the Philippines hopes to intensify the government’s efforts to help prevent and stamp out this global problem.

The UNTOC was adopted by a General Assembly resolution on 15 November 2000.

Nations that ratified the treaty commit themselves to take measures against transnational organized crime, including the creation of domestic criminal offenses (participation in an organized criminal group, money laundering, corruption and obstruction of justice); the adoption of new and sweeping frameworks for extradition, mutual legal assistance and law enforcement cooperation; and the promotion of training and technical assistance for building or upgrading the necessary capacity of national authorities. (DFA)