Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08YAOUNDE822
2008-08-20 16:26:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Yaounde
Cable title:  

CAMEROON: G/TIP FY06 MONITORING REPORT

Tags:  KCRM KWMN PHUM CM 
pdf how-to read a cable
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DE RUEHYD #0822 2331626
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 201626Z AUG 08
FM AMEMBASSY YAOUNDE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9210
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 0235
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0417
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 1750
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 2093
UNCLAS YAOUNDE 000822 

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR G/TIP and AF/C

E.O. 12958: n/a
TAGS: KCRM KWMN PHUM CM

SUBJECT: CAMEROON: G/TIP FY06 MONITORING REPORT

REF: 07 STATE 169690

UNCLAS YAOUNDE 000822

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR G/TIP and AF/C

E.O. 12958: n/a
TAGS: KCRM KWMN PHUM CM

SUBJECT: CAMEROON: G/TIP FY06 MONITORING REPORT

REF: 07 STATE 169690


1. Below are Embassy Yaounde's responses keyed to reftel request.


A. Poloff spoke with Yolande Fouda, resident staff member of the
G/TIP sponsored American Bar Association (ABA),Rule of Law
Initiative. Additional information is based on observation.


B. An ABA staff member from Washington has visited Cameroon two
times since the grant was awarded to assess the progress and meet
with Government of Cameroon (GRC) and US Embassy officials. The
Cameroon-based ABA staff member has created a multi-disciplinary
working group to stimulate dialogue amongst the key actors in
anti-trafficking efforts. The ABA has also drafted a reference and
teaching manual for GRC officials based on their discussions during
the working group session. In June, the ABA held a roll out session
with high level GRC officials to introduce the anti-trafficking
program. The US Ambassador was the keynote speaker. The
Cameroon-based ABA staff member is currently working with police and
immigration officials to conduct anti-trafficking trainings at their
facilities in order to demonstrate the GRC's commitment and the
programs sustainability.


C. The grantee has encountered some issues with remaining on
schedule due to various administrative changes in key GRC
ministries. The program is about 2 months behind schedule with the
training for judges, prosecutors, immigration officials and police
not completed due to the changes in the national police and the
shuffle of ministry personnel. The grantee continues to work through
the challenges by contacting and setting up meetings with the new
officials in the relevant ministries to receive permission to
continue training their officials.


D. The grantee's activities are sustainable enough to allow the GRC
to continue the program after the end of funding. With the manual,
it should be relatively easy to maintain a training program;
however, since there is no central authority responsible for
trafficking, it will be difficult to conduct anti-trafficking
programs with the same intensity. The grantee is working in an
environment where there is some buy-in from the working level GRC
officials, but where high level GRC officials are unaware or unable
to adequately respond to the calls for increased anti-trafficking
activities.


E. The grantee is well qualified to run an anti-trafficking program.
The ABA staff member is well known in the anti-trafficking circles
in Cameroon, especially with her previous work with the
International Labor Organization (ILO). There are no field offices
and the only office has [about] 3 personnel. They are capable of
handling the work required.


F. G/TIP may wish to expand the grant past the October 1 deadline
to ensure that the training of the police, prosecutors, immigration
officials and judges can be held. Furthermore, the grantee has
requested additional funding ,if available, for the continuation of
the program.


G. Yes, the program addresses the deficiencies identified in the
country narrative of the TIP report: lack of coordination between
the ministries responsible for trafficking and lack of information
about how to investigate and prosecute suspected traffickers.
Another major issue which is supposed to be addressed through this
grant is nationwide GRC awareness about the anti-trafficking law and
how it can be used to successfully arrest, prosecute and convict
traffickers.


H. The grantee has done a commendable job of attracting working and
high level GRC officials to participate in the roll out event and
working group. This is a critical step to expand the GRC child
trafficking law to include trafficking of adults. This program will
also teach judges, police, immigration officials and prosecutors
about trafficking laws and how to investigate and prosecute
successfully. This project is sustainable and a good candidate for
the continuation of funding.


FOX