QNA

DOHA

GOVERNMENT bodies tasked with combating human trafficking in Arab countries have a vital role to play in implementation of the Arab Initiative for Building National Capacities to Combat Human Trafficking, the second Doha Forum on Combating Human Trafficking has said in its final statement which was read out by Director General of Qatar Foundation for Combating Human Trafficking Maryam al Malki. Participants at the two-day forum held under the title “Launch of the Arab Initiative for Building National Capacities to Combat Human Trafficking” under the auspices of HH Sheikha Moza called upon government bodies in Arab countries concerned with combating human trafficking to participate effectively in the implementation of the regional Arab initiative. They called for establishing national alliances between government bodies, civil society organisations and Arab countries to help implement activities and programmes of the Arab Initiative for Building National Capacities to Combat Human Trafficking. They also called for coordination between government organs and civil society organisations to prepare and implement education programmes on combating human trafficking and the organising joint conferences for exchange of expertise. The participants called for the Arab nations to mount efforts through the United Nations and the Arab League for the implementation of the Arab initiative and support Arab strategy to combat human trafficking. They also underlined the need to support the human trafficking combating coordination unit and enhance its database. They called for Arab League support to the initiative as also for encouragement to Arab countries joining the related international and regional agreements. The participants called for effective participation in the implementation of the Arab Initiative for Building National Capacities to Combat Human Trafficking and the building of regional alliances against the practice in Arab countries in conjunction with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the Arab League. They also called for the bilateral agreements and memorandums of understanding between Arab countries to coordinate efforts related to combating human trafficking and the exchange of relevant information and expertise. They stressed the need for the building of national capacities to combat human trafficking, to establish special programmes on regional and international mechanisms and tools to combat human trafficking and the preparation of an annual report on the state of human trafficking in the Arab world.