Nouakchott – The Mauritanian capital, Nouakchott, hosted a regional conference from 22 to 23 January 2019 on the theme “Strengthening the Fight against Trafficking in Persons: Sharing Experiences between Countries in West Africa and the Arab world” (Améliorer la lutte contre la traite des personnes : Partage d’expériences entre pays d’Afrique de l’Ouest et du monde arabe) organized by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Mauritania.

The conference, which brought together more than 50 participants from the Mauritanian Judiciary and Civil Society, United Nations agencies (UNODC, UNICEF, UNHCR) as well as key actors from Egypt, Mali, Morocco, Niger and Senegal, aimed to exchange good practices and experiences in the fight against trafficking in the West African Region and the Arab World.

“Trafficking in persons is the third most widespread form of trafficking in the world, after drug and arms trafficking,” said Mohamed Cherif Ahmed, Secretary General of the Ministry of Justice of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania. “This conference is very important as sharing experiences at the regional level will enable the Mauritanian Government to strengthen the fight against this scourge,” he added.

Since 2015, IOM in Mauritania has been supporting the Government of Mauritania in its efforts to combat trafficking in persons within and outside its borders through the project “Understanding and Combating Trafficking in Persons in Mauritania” funded by the Government the Federal Republic of Germany.

“Migrants, who may find themselves in a very precarious situation during their migration journey, are particularly vulnerable to trafficking. Mauritania is not alone in the fight against trafficking in persons, which is a global phenomenon affecting many countries. IOM is proud to work with the Ministry of Justice to improve the relevant legal framework,” said Ms. Laura Lungarotti, IOM Chief of Mission in Mauritania.

The project, which is now in its fourth phase (2018–2019), aims to assess the existing Mauritanian national legal framework. This process, which was designed in agreement with the Mauritanian Ministry of Justice, is implemented in close collaboration with members of the Mauritanian Judiciary.

For more information, please contact Ciré LY at IOM Mauritania: Tel: +222 34 18 43 78 Email: caly@iom.int.