TIP LEGISLATION FORWARDED TO NATIONAL

UNCLAS MAPUTO 000886 SIPDIS SIPDIS AF/S FOR HTREGER G/TIP FOR RYOUSEY USAID FOR AFR/SA MCC FOR SGAULL SENSITIVE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KCRM PHUM KWMN SMIG ELAB KFRD MZ SUBJECT: TIP LEGISLATION FORWARDED TO NATIONAL ASSEMBLY ¶1. (SBU) On July 24, Mozambican Government (GRM) representative Luis Covane announced that the Council of Ministers approved draft legislation on trafficking in persons. Covane said that the GRM accelerated its action on this legislation to respond to developments in Mozambique and the Southern African region. The next step is for the draft to be scheduled on the National Assembly's agenda for debate and an eventual vote. While our contacts in civil society expressed universal satisfaction that the legislation has finally arrived in the National Assembly, they understand the remaining challenge of getting National Assembly approval. It took three years (2002-2005) to pass the Family Law. ¶2. (SBU) The government's announcement came only one month after release of the Department's annual Trafficking in Persons (TIP) report. Numerous press articles summarized the contents of the USG report, and some specifically noted that the Mozambican government had not done enough to prosecute traffickers. Post maintained frequent contact with the Ministry of Justice, including meetings with Justice Minister to urge quick movement on the legislation. ¶3. (U) COMMENT: Executive approval of this legislation was front-page news in Mozambique and is an important well-publicized step to demonstrate the GRMQs seriousness about combating trafficking in persons in Mozambique. We believe that both international and domestic lobbying efforts converged to prompt the GRM to act. Post will continue to engage the GRM and the National Assembly to seek passage of the TIP legislation, in conjunction with implementation of the Department's TIP action plan for Mozambique. CHAPMAN