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:

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Track I
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-- 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