CHAD: EMBASSY NDJAMENA'S TIP COMPLIANCE ACTION

UNCLAS NDJAMENA 000137 SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR AF/C, AF/USSES AND G/TIP E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KTIP KCRM KWMN PGOV PHUM PREL SU CD SUBJECT: CHAD: EMBASSY NDJAMENA'S TIP COMPLIANCE ACTION PLAN REF: A. EMBASSY-DESK 04/09/2009 EMAIL ¶B. EMBASSY-DESK 04/20/2009 EMAIL ¶1. (SBU) In order to help the Chad Government to avoid sanctions because of TIP provisions, we are engaged in executing an action plan, which we first informed Department in REF A. ¶2. (SBU) Background: GOC Actions to Date: The most recent in the GOC's efforts to address trafficking in persons issues in Chad are: --The Council of Ministers adopted the "Palermo Convention Protocol to Prevent, Suppress, and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children," on April 9. The protocol will be sent to the National Assembly for parliamentary adoption. --The Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime will be presented to the Council of Ministers for adoption April 23 and will follow the same path as the Palermo Protocol. --The Ministry of Justice and UNICEF are planning an April 28-30 seminar for parliamentarians to raise awareness of the draft legislations and garner support for their passage. ¶3. (SBU) Embassy TIP Compliance Action Plan has two tracks: -------------- Track I -------------- -- This involves a concerted effort by Embassy officers with relevant GOC ministries and agencies, in coordination with our partners (MINURCAT, UNICEF and ICRC). --The Ambassador has already requested to see the President of the Republic to brief him on the importance of meeting TIP criteria, especially regarding Child Soldiers. The Ambassador pre-briefed the President's chief Advisor on International Relations and Cooperation on April 20. --Prime Minister: DCM briefed PM Diplomatic Advisor Ramadan Barma April 16 on issuing popular decrees and speeding up ongoing work within other Ministries. --Ambassador met with SRSG for MINURCAT Victor Angelo April 20 to request coordinated UN system action on child soldiers and to explore ways the international community's efforts in general could be coordinated (French, Germans, Swiss). --Foreign Minister: Ambassador met Foreign Minister Moussa Faki Mahamat April 10 to press for accession to international protocols and conventions on child welfare and anti-trafficking, lack of which is one factor preventing progress on the child protection code. --Ministry of Justice: Embassy has begun to hold regular meetings to refine goals with respect to revising Chad,s penal code, and will devise a schedule for visits by U.S.-based experts who can work with Chadians to establish a new and more suitable list of benchmarks on trafficking. --National Assembly: Embassy will meet regularly to press for progress on legislative steps, including passage of amendments to Chad,s Penal Code and passage of a code on child protection. --Ministry of Labor: Embassy will coordinate on initiatives to tighten enforcement on existing laws prohibiting child labor. --Defense Ministry: Ambassador has requested a meeting with the Minister to call for issuance of a decree announcing strict enforcement of existing laws prohibiting child soldiers. --Ministry of Social Affairs: Poloff met with newly appointed Secretary General Saklah Djimadoungar April 20 to press for more GOC support to victims of trafficking. --Key Partners: Embassy will coordinate with MINURCAT, UNICEF and ICRC to cosponsor education events, seminars and public awareness campaigns. Embassy will propose regular coordination meetings at COM or DCM level with MINURCAT, UNICEF, and ICRC on TIP-related issues, especially child soldiers. -------------- Track II -------------- Track Two: This would involve visits by USG experts, and if possible provision of financial assistance, to help Chad make progress on mutually-defined goals, and to allow more targeted assistance from UNICEF and ICRC. NIGRO