EGYPT: DETAILS ON GOE FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING

UNCLAS CAIRO 006935

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

NSC STAFF FOR WATERS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM KCRM KWMN SMIG EG
SUBJECT: EGYPT: DETAILS ON GOE FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING
IN PERSONS (TIP)

REF: A. CAIRO 6871


B. CAIRO 6868

C. CAIRO 6377

D. CAIRO 2972

E. STATE 185321

F. STATE 175900


1. (SBU) SUMMARY: THE GOE IS TACKLING TIP WITH
UNPRECEDENTED VIGOR AND COHERENCE. THE FOREMOST DEVELOPMENT
IS THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN INTER-MINISTERIAL COMMITTEE TO
COORDINATE THE FIGHT AGAINST TIP THAT EXPAND AND COORDINATE
ANTI-TIP OPERATIONS ON A NUMBER OF FRONTS. PER REF E, POST
HAS ADVISED THE GOE THAT GRADUATION FROM THE TIER 2 WATCHLIST
WILL REQUIRE PROMPT, MEASURABLE ACTIONS IN THE NEAR TERM.
END SUMMARY.


2. (SBU) AS REPORTED IN REF C, THE GOES DECISION TO CREATE
AN INTER-MINISTERIAL COMMITTEE TO COORDINATE AND EXPAND THE
FIGHT AGAINST TIP IS A MAJOR POSITIVE DEVELOPMENT. ACCORDING
TO AN INTERNAL GOE MEMORANDUM DRAFTED BY THE PUBLIC
PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE, THE GOE WILL LIKELY FOCUS ITS EFFORTS IN
THREE KEY AREAS:

--DRAFTING OF "UNIFIED INTEGRATED LEGISLATION";
--ESTABLISHING A "NATIONAL COORDINATING MECHANISM" ON TIP,
COMPOSED OF KEY MINISTRIES AND AGENCIES, AND BACKSTOPPED BY A
TECHNICAL SECRETARIAT; AND
--TRAINING FOR ALL ENFORCEMENT, JUDICIAL, AND SOCIAL SERVICE
STAFF.

GOE CONTACTS CONCERNED WITH TIP HAVE ASSURED US THAT THE
FORMAL ESTABLISHMENT OF THE TIP COMMITTEE IS IMMINENT, AND WE
HAVE REPEATEDLY FLAGGED FOR THE GOE THE IMPORTANCE OF PROMPT
ACTION ON THIS ISSUE. THE AMBASSADOR PRESSED PM NAZIF TO
FORMALIZE THE COMMITTEE VIA DECREE WHEN THEY MET ON NOVEMBER
13 (REF A).


3. (SBU) THE AMBASSADOR, DCM, AND EMBOFFS HAVE ALSO
CONTINUED TO PRESS OTHER SENIOR GOE OFFICIALS ON THE NEED TO
MAKE QUICK PROGRESS ON COMBATING TIP. IN RECENT MEETINGS
WITH EGIS CHIEF OMAN SOLIMAN AND THE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR (REF
B),THE AMBASSADOR HAS ADVISED THE GOE OF THE NEED FOR
PROMPT, MEASURABLE ACTION ON TIP. IN A NOVEMBER 15 MEETING
WITH NAELA GABR, THE MFA'S ASSISTANT MINISTER FOR
MULTILATERAL AFFAIRS (WHO HAS THE GOE LEAD ON TIP ISSUES),
DCM CONVEYED THE USG'S SUGGESTED ACTION PLAN ON TIP (REF E).
GABR SAID THAT THE GOE IS FACING A RANGE OF REGIONAL AND
DOMESTIC ISSUES WHICH IT IDENTIFIES AS HAVING A HIGHER
PRIORITY THAN TIP (E.G., ARAB-ISRAELI PEACE,
COUNTER-TERRORISM, CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM),BUT NEVERTHELESS
IS MOVING FORWARD TO TACKLE TIP.


4. (SBU) IN RESPONSE TO REF F REQUESTING INPUT FOR THE
INTERIM ASSESSMENT OF EGYPT'S TIER 2 WATCHLIST STATUS, WE
OFFER THE FOLLOWING INPUT KEYED TO THE ITEMS IN REF F:

(A) PROGRESS IN DRAFTING OF ANTI-TRAFFICKING LEGISLATION:
AS PART OF THE PROCESS OF ESTABLISHING THE NEW
INTER-MINISTERIAL COMMITTEE, THE GOE HAS BEGUN TO EVALUATE
EXISTING LEGISLATION TO IDENTIFY GAPS WHERE NEW
TRAFFICKING-SPECIFIC LEGISLATION MIGHT BE NEEDED. THE FORMAL
ESTABLISHMENT OF THE COMMITTEE WILL PERMIT THE COMMITTEE TO
PROPOSE ADDITIONAL LEGISLATION TO ADDRESS THE GAPS. THE
CURRENT PARLIAMENT WILL ALSO REPORTEDLY CONSIDER IN EARLY
2007 A NEW LAW--ALREADY DRAFTED--ON CHILDREN'S RIGHTS WHICH
INCLUDES SPECIFIC ANTI-TRAFFICKING COMPONENTS. (NOTE: THE
NEW DRAFT LEGISLATION ON CHILDREN'S RIGHTS IS NOT YET PUBLIC;
POST IS SEEKING TO OBTAIN A COPY. END NOTE.)

(B) PROGRESS IN FORMULATING A NATIONAL PLAN: WITH THE
IMMINENT FORMAL ESTABLISHMENT OF THE NEW COMMITTEE, POST
ANTICIPATES THAT THE GOE WILL BE ABLE TO MOVE AHEAD WITH A
NATIONAL PLAN TO COMBAT TIP. POST'S PRESENTATION ON 11/15 TO
MFA OF RECOMMENDED ACTION ITEMS (AS DETAILED IN REF E) TO
SUPPORT EGYPT'S GRADUATION FROM THE TIER 2 WATCHLIST SHOULD
HELP THE GOE TO SET ITS PRIORITIES.

(C) PROGRESS IN IMPLEMENTING PROCEDURES FOR IDENTIFICATION
OF VICTIMS: ACCORDING TO THE MFAS AMBASSADOR GABR, THE GOE,
WORKING WITH UNDPS HUMAN RIGHTS CAPACITY BUILDING PROGRAM,
WILL BEGIN IN JANUARY 2007 TO PROVIDE TIP-SPECIFIC TRAINING
FOR GOE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS, PROSECUTORS, AND JUDGES.
CAIRO LEGAT IS ALSO DESIGNING TRAINING FOR GOE LAW
ENFORCEMENT ON TRAFFICKING AND HUMAN SMUGGLING, WITH THE GOAL
OF OFFERING THIS COURSE TO THE GOE FOR MARCH/APRIL 2007.

(D) PROGRESS IN PROVIDING PROTECTION SERVICES FOR VICTIMS:
BASED ON ANECDOTAL EVIDENCE, THE GOE CONTINUES ITS
IN PERSONS (TIP)

LONG-STANDING POLICY OF RELEASING ANY ILLEGAL MIGRANTS, WHO
HAVE BEEN DETAINED BY THE GOE DURING AN EFFORT TO TRAVEL TO
ISRAEL, TO THE RECOGNIZANCE OF THE MIGRANTS' RESPECTIVE
EMBASSIES IN CAIRO, WHICH IN TURN HAVE ASSISTED THE MIGRANTS
IN RETURNING TO THEIR HOME COUNTRIES. POST WILL CONTINUE TO
PRESS THE GOE TO ADDRESS TIP VICTIM ISSUES ON A COHERENT AND
COMPASSIONATE BASIS.

(E) PROGRESS IN INCREASING INVESTIGATIONS AND PROSECUTIONS:
THE GOE HAS THUS FAR NOT PROVIDED DATA THAT INDICATES AN
INCREASE IN TIP-SPECIFIC INVESTIGATIONS AND PROSECUTIONS,
BUT--AS DOCUMENTED IN BOTH MEDIA AND SENSITIVE REPORTING--THE
SECURITY SITUATION IN SINAI, INCLUDING COUNTER-SMUGGLING
EFFORTS, CONTINUES TO RECEIVE SIGNIFICANT GOE ATTENTION.


5. (SBU) COMMENT: FOLLOWING ON THE REGIONAL LEADERSHIP OF
FIRST LADY SUZANNE MUBARAK (REF D AND PREVIOUS),THE GOE IS
MAKING AN NOTABLE PUSH ON COMBATTING TIP. POST WILL CONTINUE
TO ENGAGE THE RELEVANT ELEMENTS OF THE GOE ON THE NEED FOR
URGENT AND MEASURABLE ACTION ON TIP.
RICCIARDONE