UAE TIP COMMITTEE ISSUES REPORT AMID REQUESTS FOR TIP

UNCLAS ABU DHABI 001820 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR G/TIP, INL, DRL, L/DL, NEA/RA, AND NEA/ARP E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PHUM KCRM ELAB UN AE SUBJECT: UAE TIP COMMITTEE ISSUES REPORT AMID REQUESTS FOR TIP TRAINING REFS: A) ABU DHABI 1687 (AMB LAGON VISIT) B) ABU DHABI 1542 (ACTION PLAN WITH MFA) C) DUBAI 411 (NATIONAL TIP COMMITTEE) Sensitive but unclassified. ¶1. (SBU) Summary: The UAEG provided Post a previously-promised report on its anti-TIP efforts, which emphasizes UAEG intent to combat trafficking while also acknowledging the long term challenges and trining needs of an effective program. Separately, he UAE has requested G/TIP training support that ill bolster its efforts in the judicial and law nforcement arenas -- following up on conversations with G/TIP Ambassador Lagon. End summary. ¶2. (SBU) Post received a diplomatic note dated 15 Ocober 2007 conveying the text of a report issued b the UAE National Committee to Combat Human Traficking. The seven page report, in English, begis by declaring that "the leadership of the UAE beleves that human trafficking is among the vilest f crimes..." and spells out the UAE commitment to"aggressively interdict" those responsible for tafficking. It also addresses the labor recruitingdimension sometimes exploited by traffickers. ¶3. (SBU) As previewed in ref B, the UAE report adresses the three "P's" of prosecution, protection and prevention. The first section cites 10 TIPrelated court cases between January and August of 007, while acknowledging that the UAE "must furter increase the number of anti-human trafficking prosecutions." The discussion of protection refers to ongoing training programs, increasing sensitivity to victims, and the establishment of a shelter in Dubai (with the intent to replicate Dubai's initiative elsewhere). As for prevention, the document cites cooperation with the UN (including funding of UNODC programs),a study to consider ratification of the UN TIP Protocol, awareness campaigns for workers, and legal training to combat organized crime (to include a program to send 20 students for two years of study in the fields of "cyber and organized crimes, terrorist activities, human trafficking, and human rights issues). Post will send the entire report to G/TIP Reports Officer Gayatri Patel. ¶4. (SBU) Comment: The UAE document correctly notes that "the steps outlined in this report represent the first stage in a long-term process" of highlighting and combating the TIP phenomenon. The coordinating role of the TIP committee, characterized in the report, indicates the strong intent of the UAE to grapple with the complex issues of TIP, while acknowledging that the effort will need to be extensive and enduring. The UAE also acknowledges the need for ongoing training and requests USG support (see paragraphs five and six). End comment. ¶5. (SBU) Two outstanding requests for training assistance in the TIP arena offer us an opportunity to assist the UAE in focusing its anti-TIP efforts. The Dubai Police contacted Post in October (subsequent to Ambassador Lagon's September 25 meeting) asking for expeditious assistance with training workshops (for law enforcement-related officers to include police, detectives, and human rights officers) in the identification of TIP victims and related topics. Additionally, the Minister of Justice pressed Ambassador Lagon during his September 24 meeting on an outstanding request for judicial training. Post stands ready to facilitate this training if trainers can be identified and programs coordinated, with the goal of helping the UAE build momentum in its anti-TIP efforts. ¶6. (SBU) On October 28, MFA's Director of International Organizations Yacub al-Hosani told econchief he had been asked, as the MFA representative to the National TIP Committee, to follow-up on Ambassador Lagon's meeting with Minister Gargash, where the possibility of USG-provided TIP training was discussed. He asked for specifics on any USG proposals. SISON