GOS INFORMED OF RELEASE OF 2009 TIP REPORT

UNCLAS KHARTOUM 000764 DEPT FOR SE GRATION, S/USSES, AF A/S CARSON, AF/C NSC FOR MGAVIN DEPT PLS PASS USAID FOR AFR/SUDAN ADDIS ABABA ALSO FOR USAU SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ASEC PGOV PREL KPKO SOCI AU UNSC SU SUBJECT: GOS INFORMED OF RELEASE OF 2009 TIP REPORT REF: (A) STATE 59732 (B) STATE 005577 ¶1. (SBU) Poloffs met with Government of Sudan (GOS) Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) Acting Director of the Americas Desk Ambassador Yassir Mohammed Ali on June 17 to inform him of the release of the 2009 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report. Receiving the copies of the TIP Report for Sudan, Ambassador Ali thanked poloffs. He said Sudan is working on improving its performance on TIP-related issues. Polchief noted that despite its Tier 3 ranking, Sudan has made some limited improvements in TIP, including increasing its cooperation with UNICEF on issues of child protection, and passing the 2008 Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) Act. The latter outlaws the recruitment of child soldiers in the SAF. Poloff drew attention to the areas for improvement cited in the report. ¶2. (SBU) Amb. Ali said that the passage of the 2008 SAF Act will ensure that Sudan follows international conventions by not enlisting children into its armed forces, and reminded poloffs that rebel groups active in Darfur still recruit minors for armed conflict. Regarding both smuggling and trafficking in Eastern Sudan, Amb. Ali said that Sudanese borders with Eritrea, Ethiopia and Egypt are long and difficult to protect. He maintained that that the GOS views its problems with TIP - both as a source and transit country - as ones that must be solved regionally, especially with the cooperation of Egypt. ASQUINO