G/TIP: UAE RESEARCH CENTER SEEKS TO HOST UN TIP

UNCLAS ABU DHABI 003125

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR G/TIP, INL, DRL, NEA/RA, AND NEA/ARP

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PHUM KCRM ELAB UN AE
SUBJECT: G/TIP: UAE RESEARCH CENTER SEEKS TO HOST UN TIP
CONFERENCE


Sensitive but unclassified. Please protect accordingly.


1. (SBU) In a July 19 conversation with EmbOffs, Director
General of the Emirates Center for Strategic Studies and
Research (ECSSR) Dr. Jamal Al-Suwaidi expressed frustration
with the UN for not taking a greater interest in his offer to
host a global conference on Trafficking in Persons in Abu
Dhabi. Stating that the UN in New York had referred him to
Geneva for coordination, Al-Suwaidi said he had yet to find
someone who would engage in serious discussion of the
conference. He said the UN appeared interested in having the
UAE host such an event "sometime in the spring of 2007," but
apparently did not want UAE input on the substance of the
meeting and was very vague about potential dates. They want
the UAE to "host and shut up," he complained.


2. (SBU) Al-Suwaidi shared a copy of a letter to UN
Secretary General Kofi Annan, dated May 7, 2006, from Abu

SIPDIS
Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan (also
Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces and founder
of ECSSR). The letter notes that "the trafficking of human
beings has become one of the fastest growing social pandemics
throughout the world in recent years." It calls for a
"concerted effort on a global scale" to deal with this
"scourge" and offers Abu Dhabi as a venue for an
"international conference on the topic of human trafficking."
The letter posits one goal of the conference as the adoption
of a formal declaration -- a draft copy of which Al-Suwaidi
also shared with EmbOffs.


3. (SBU) The declaration, according to Al-Suwaidi, might be
more far-reaching than many delegations were comfortable
with. He nonetheless argued that a strong commitment to
counter trafficking should be the starting point for
discussion at such a conference. Al-Suwaidi requested
EmbOffs' assistance in bringing this offer to the attention
of the USG. Post will fax copies of the declaration and
letter to NEA/ARP.


4. (SBU) Comment: ECSSR is a well-established and
well-funded research center with close ties to the Abu Dhabi
Crown Prince. It conducts research and seminars on a variety
of topics, often associated with energy or regional security
but also ranging to other fields. ECSSR certainly has the
capacity to host the proposed event. ECSSR and the Crown
Prince's desire to host a trafficking in persons conference
suggests UAE seriousness about addressing trafficking issues.
In 2005, the UAE was placed on G/TIP's Tier 3, largely due
to significant numbers of foreign children trafficked to
serve as camel jockeys in the UAE. The UAE only addressed
this issue in a serious way as a result of public stigma and
USG pressure. To now take on a human trafficking conference
indicates an intention to remain engaged in TIP problems.


5. (SBU) Comment continued: Further demonstrating its
engagement, the UAEG sent a delegation to Vienna in June 2006
to participate in a UN Office on Drugs and Crime experts
group that drafted model human trafficking legislation. The
UAE is now in the process of preparing its own TIP law. Post
deems it wise to encourage greater focus on this issue in a
country and region known as a transit point and destination
for migrant workers and travelers of all sorts. End comment.
QUINN