Sudan calls for help to combat human trafficking

Sudan yesterday called on the international community to help it combat human trafficking.

The call came during a meeting between the Undersecretary to the Sudanese Ministry of Justice and Chairman of the National Committee to Combat Human Trafficking, Ahmed Abbas and a delegation from the Austrian Ministry of Immigration in Khartoum, the official Sudan News Agency (SUNA) reported.

“Sudan is keen to combat human trafficking and to develop a national strategy to combat it,” Abbas said.

“Sudan has developed four principles: preventing human trafficking, protecting and caring for trafficking victims, investigating and prosecuting traffickers and arranging internal, regional and international cooperation and partnerships,” he added.

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The Austrian delegation arrived in Khartoum yesterday on a two-day visit, during which they will hold talks with Sudanese officials on human trafficking and other issues.

International organisations accuse Sudan of not doing enough to tackle human trafficking; Khartoum maintains that it lacks the necessary resources.

Last November, Sudan launched a national plan for 2018 and 2019 to combat human trafficking in cooperation with the International Organisation for Migration (IOM).

In 2014, the Sudanese parliament passed a law against human trafficking ranging from death to imprisonment from five to 20 years.

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