EGYPT: MIXED MESSAGES ON TIP

UNCLAS CAIRO 003560 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/ELA, NEA/RA AND G/TIP E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KCRM KWMN PREL PGOV PHUM SMIG AEMR EG SUBJECT: EGYPT: MIXED MESSAGES ON TIP REF: A. CAIRO 3031 ¶B. CAIRO 2536 ¶C. CAIRO 2030 Sensitive but unclassified, not for Internet distribution. ¶1. (SBU) Summary: During G/TIP Reports and Political Affairs Officer Gayatri Patel's December 11 - 17 visit to Cairo, Egyptian officials at the Ministries of Interior (MOI),Justice (MOJ),and Social Solidarity (MOSS) asserted that Trafficking-in-Persons (TIP) is not an internal Egyptian problem, in contrast to Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) assurances that that Egypt's inter-ministerial anti-TIP committee is taking a comprehensive approach to combating TIP. We emphasized the importance of taking concrete action to address TIP, and offered USG assistance to help Egypt arrest and prosecute traffickers under current laws, keep records of those actions, conduct research to better understand the extent of the TIP problem in Egypt, and train police on victim identification and protection procedures. The quasi-governmental National Center for Criminological and Social Research (NCCSR) and the UN Office of Drugs and Crime (UNODC) are undertaking studies of the trafficking problem in Egypt, the MOJ is studying strengthening Egypt's anti-TIP legislation, and legislation strengthening anti-TIP provisions regarding children is on the agenda in parliament. However, our contacts at international organizations focused on TIP say that both governmental and non-governmental action will be limited until MOI officials accept that TIP is an internal Egyptian issue. End summary. GOE Officials: TIP is "Not a Big Problem" -------------- ¶2. (SBU) Discussing TIP during G/TIP Reports and Political Affairs Officer Gayatri Patel's December 11 - 13 visit to Cairo, MOI Assistant Minister for Legal Affairs General Ahmed Diaa Eldin, MOJ Assistant Minister Osama El Ataweya, and MOSS Special Advisor Ahmed Abul Kheir all asserted that TIP is "not a big problem" in Egypt, and consists mostly of third-country victims being trafficked through the Sinai Peninsula to Israel. All conceded, however, that young girls are sold into marriages with wealthy Gulf residents, street children face sexual exploitation, and that children are heavily involved in the informal work force such as cotton farming and domestic work, though the extent of trafficking in these cases was uncertain. MFA Assistant Minister for Multilateral Affairs Naela Gabr, who chairs the inter-ministerial "National Committee to Combat and Prevent Trafficking in Persons," repeated previous MFA assurances that the committee is taking a comprehensive approach to studying and combating TIP in Egypt (reftel). She noted that raising awareness among Egyptian officials and citizens is the most important next step, saying that the Ministry of Information is currently developing a plan for a broader public awareness campaign. State-owned Egyptian television began airing UN-produced public service announcements on labor trafficking in early July (reftels). ¶3. (SBU) We emphasized to all GOE interlocutors the importance of making tangible progress on the stated aims of the inter-ministerial committee, namely arresting and prosecuting traffickers under current laws, quantifying those actions, and comprehensively studying the extent of the TIP problem in Egypt. We also noted, particularly with the MOI and MOSS, the importance of training police on victim identification and protection procedures and offered USG assistance to those efforts. Street Children: GOE Acting, Though TIP Problem "Small" -------------- -- ¶4. (SBU) Abul Kheir noted that the issue of street children is widely acknowledged as a problem in Egypt and, with the backing of First Lady Suzanne Mubarak and in conjunction with the quasi-governmental National Center for Childhood and Motherhood, the MOSS is increasing its efforts to provide services for these children. NCCM Spokeswoman Ramona Canaan told us that the amendments to Egypt's Child Law that broaden and strengthen its anti-TIP provisions regarding children (reftel) are on the agenda in the lower house of parliament, and she expected they will be passed by the full parliament by the end of the 2007-2008 parliamentary session. Once passed, each governorate will be mandated to establish a committee to implement child protection procedures, headed by a judge and with NCCM representation, reporting directly to the prime minister's office, she said. Abul Kheir noted that the MOSS already runs 28 shelters for street children. ¶5. (SBU) Nevertheless, the consensus among GOE officials and representatives from international organizations was that trafficking, for either sex or forced labor, is not a primary issue facing street children. UNICEF Child Protection Officer Nadra Zaki said that, although cases exist of street children being sold for sex, they are unusual and organized trafficking rings do not exist. Regarding forced labor, she said, street children are able to earn enough money via begging that they do not need to be sold for work. Quantifying the Potential Problem -------------- ¶6. (SBU) IOM Regional Representative Shahid Abdul Haque told us that Egypt may face a large trafficking problem, giving extensive poverty, discrimination, and demand for work both internally and from regional countries, but that no data exists to quantify the extent of the potential problem. However, Dr. Melegy from the NCCSR said that the NCCSR, in coordination with the inter-ministerial committee, is undertaking a comprehensive survey of TIP in Egypt. The study, he said, will focus on forced marriages of young girls to primarily Gulf residents, abuse of street children, and child domestic workers. UNODC Regional Representative Dr. Nihal Fahmy told us that the UNODC is also conducting a research and data collection project under the UN Global Initiative to Fight Human Trafficking (GIFT). ¶7. (SBU) MFA TIP staffer Amira Fahmy noted that the inter-ministerial committee plans to develop a centralized data unit, to better organize information on the extent of TIP in Egypt and statistics on arrests and prosecutions etc. Additionally, Diaa Eldin provided us with general statistics on anti-prostitution and anti-child labor arrest, and agreed to provide records of arrests and prosecutions for forced prostitution, in order to determine what anti-TIP law enforcement actions are already being taken. Studying Comprehensive Legislation -------------- ¶8. (SBU) El Ataweya said that the MOJ is reviewing current law to see how best to strengthen Egypt's anti-TIP legal provisions, and will use the Arab League's model law on TIP as a non-binding guide. Ataweya noted that, as Egypt's largest problem regarding TIP is trafficking of third-country nationals to Israel, the MOJ is particularly focused on legislation aimed at limiting the entrance and employment of foreigners. Ataweya said that the study will also focus on how better to criminalize traffickers, rather than victims, but emphasized that some prostitutes are not victims and should be prosecuted for their crimes. Diaa Eldin also opined that some prostitutes under age 18 have the capability to consent and should be arrested; we noted that, under international standards, the age of consent is 18. The Way Forward: MOI Must Buy-In -------------- ¶9. (SBU) Under the nascent direction of the inter-ministerial committee, GOE bodies are moving, albeit in fits and starts, to better understand and combat TIP in Egypt. However, In Abdul Haque's words, no governmental or non-governmental body will be willing to take strong action on TIP without explicit MOI support, and MOI officials have not yet acknowledged that TIP is potentially a problem internally in Egypt, rather than only one of transit. Increased public discourse on TIP could eventually help push MOI officials toward action, and we, along with international organizations here, will continue to encourage action and offer technical and capacity-building assistance.