Indonesian Envoy Leads UN Regugees Confab in Vienna

London, (Antara) - Ambassador Rachmat Budiman, Indonesia's Permanent Representative to the United Nations and other International Organizations in Vienna, led a side event on countering human trafficking and its contribution to the global impact on migration, in Vienna recently.

The New York Declaration expresses the commitment of countries to protect refugees and migrants from human traffickers, which is in line with the spirit of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC) and protocol to prevent, suppress and punish human traffickers, Indra Rosandry, first secretary of the Indonesian permanent mission in Vienna, said in a press statement released on Thursday.

Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drug and Crime (UNODC) Yuri Fedotov inaugurated the meeting, in which more than 70 delegates participated. Ambassador Susan Coppedge of the US Department of State, Dr. Myria Vassiliadou of the European Commission and UNODC expert Rahel Gershuni were keynote speakers at the event.

In his inaugural address, Yuri Fedotov touched on the New York Declaration, which expresses the commitment of countries to combat human trafficking.

But challenges still remain to the commitment and the implementation of UNTOC and protocol to prevent, suppress and punish human traffickers, he said.

Hence, UNODC has placed the implementation of the New York Declaration as one of the main priorities, in cooperation with party countries and other relevant stakeholders.

At the discussion, all keynote speakers shared their views that the main challenge in combating human trafficking lies in establishing partnership among stakeholders at national, regional and international levels.

The other challenge is a lack of knowledge on the part of law enforcement officials with regard to human trafficking.

The keynote speakers stressed the importance of strengthening international partnership and cooperation and developing the ability to address the complicated threats of human trafficking.(*)