KUWAIT: Acting undersecretary of the Ministry of Justice and deputy chairman of the National Committee for the Prevention of Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants, Tarek Al-Asfour signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime for the GCC region. Al-Asfour said in a press statement after the signing on Wednesday that after coordinating with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the memorandum was signed. The MoU is aimed at exchanging technical and advisory views on international experiences related to combating trafficking in persons.

He pointed out that Kuwait spares no efforts to combat trafficking in persons and smuggling of migrants through many mechanisms, explaining that this cooperation comes in implementation of Kuwait’s vision to strengthen frameworks and partnerships with international and regional organizations, especially the United Nations and its various organs.

This cooperation will strengthen the frameworks of cooperation between the two parties and promote their common goals and objectives with regard to preventing, suppressing, and punishing traffickers and enhancing the protection of victims in accordance with international treaties. The National Committee for the Prevention of Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants was established by a decision of the Council of Ministers on February 5, 2018 and is headed by the Minister of Justice and Minister of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs, Dr Mohammed Al-Wasmi.

The objectives of the committee include identifying the victims and those affected, providing protection and support for them, providing specialized training and rehabilitation for workers in the bodies concerned with combating trafficking, as well as spreading awareness among all segments of society, employers, and workers, deriving this from religious and moral values, and strengthening regional and international cooperation frameworks in the field of combating trafficking. The committee urged citizens and residents to report human trafficking crimes via the hotline (25589696) and e-mail ([email protected]). — KUNA