Expert Group Initiative on Stakeholder Cooperation with Law Enforcement

16 February 2009 -In the framework of the United Nations Global Initiative to Fight Human Trafficking (UN.GIFT), of which the International Organization for Migration is one of the members of the Steering Committee, IOM Vienna organized an Expert Group Working Meeting on 26-27 January 2009 under the Expert Group Initiative (EGI) on Stakeholder Cooperation with Law Enforcement.

The objective of this EGI is to encourage cooperation between law enforcement institutions and a range of key stakeholders by establishing best practice models for each identified stakeholder.

25 national and international experts from law enforcement agencies; NGOs and Intergovernmental Organizations such as: IOM, UNODC, OSCE and OHCHR; participated to the Expert Group Working Meeting in view of discussing the "Practical Guidelines on a Memorandum of Understanding between Law Enforcement Agencies and Key Stakeholders in the Field of Trafficking in Human Beings" drafted by the Ludwig Boltzmann Institute of Human Rights. The Practical Guidelines will be presented and disseminated at the Final Conference in March 2009.

"We need NGOs to assist and support the victims as well as to facilitate the (re)integration process". Johannes Steiner, Criminal Intelligence Service, Austria.

"When developing a MoU the partner should be able to keep their independence and to work according to their mandate/values." Irena Konečná, La Strada Czech Republic.

"90 percent of Nigerians trafficked to Europe are under oath of secrecy through voodoo practises." Muhammad Babandede, National Agency for Prohibition of Traffic in Persons, Nigeria.

"Good-will is the primary basis for successful cooperation and MoUs will not guarantee good-will but they will guarantee formalized continuity of cooperation by outliving elections and changing personnel"  Pier Rossi-Longhi, Officer in Charge, IOM Vienna.

For further information as regards the Expert Group Initiative please see IOM Vienna website: http://www.iomvienna.at/