IVOIRIAN GOVERNMENT RESPONSE TO TIER 2 WATCH LIST

UNCLAS ABIDJAN 000391 STATE FOR G/TIP - VZEITLIN, DRL-KGILBRIDE, AF/RSA - LMUNCY E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KTIP PGOV PHUM PREL SOCI IV SUBJECT: IVOIRIAN GOVERNMENT RESPONSE TO TIER 2 WATCH LIST RANKING REF: STATE 60547 ¶1. (U) SUMMARY: Embassy has informed the Ministry of Family that Cote d'Ivoire will face sanctions in 2011 if the country continues to remain on Tier 2 Watch List status. Representatives of both the Ministry of Family and the National Committee to Fight Trafficking told Poloff that they are hampered by a lack of resources. The Deputy Director of the Ministry of Family's Anti-Trafficking Unit will raise the importance of prosecuting traffickers with justice officials and will suggest appointment of a judge as a focal point on trafficking at the Ministry of Justice. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (U) Poloff met with four members of the National Committee to Fight Trafficking on June 23 to explain Cote d'Ivoire's ranking in the 2009 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report. Herve Kouadio Kra, Deputy Director of the Anti-Trafficking Unit in the Ministry of Family, expressed concern about the possibility of U.S. sanctions if Cote d'Ivoire does not improve its Tier 2 Watch List status. He stated that the Ministry of Family has few resources, no vehicles, and very little tangible means to expand its current activities, which mostly focus on training government officials (particularly security and defense forces) on ways to prevent trafficking. ¶3. (U) Kra and the other National Committee members welcomed U.S. assistance to help fight the trafficking problem. They explained that they are heavily dependent on donor contributions for much of their activities and are severely limited by budgetary constraints, especially given the government's all-consuming preoccupation with preparing to hold elections and putting an end to the political crisis that has been ongoing since 2002. Kra also cited budgetary constraints as a reason why the Ministry of Family has not been able to provide more assistance to victims of sex trafficking, which the Ministry also views as a problem in Cote d'Ivoire. ¶4. (U) With regard to prosecuting traffickers, Kra said that Ministry of Family officials have little sway with the Ministry of Justice, but promised to raise the issue in National Committee discussions with justice officials. He said he would also mention the idea of appointing one magistrate as the focal point for trafficking within the Ministry of Justice, which he felt would help raise awareness of the trafficking problem among prosecuting judges. ¶5. (U) COMMENT: Although National Committee members agreed that ideally, the Government of Cote d'Ivoire should be increasing its financial contribution to fight trafficking (even by small amounts) every year, the reality is that these civil servants must make do with whatever money their office receives from the Ministry of Economy and Finance. Since current funds given to the National Committee are never enough to cover even very basic activities, Ministry of Family officials will continue to seek out donor partners willing to finance anti-TIP projects for the foreseeable future. END COMMENT NESBITT