The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Regional Office for the Middle East and North Africa (ROMENA), in collaboration with the Egyptian National Coordinating Committee for Combating and Preventing Illegal Migration and Trafficking in Persons (NCCPIM&TIP), is launching the “Inter-Regional Conference on International Cooperation in Criminal Matters related to Investigating and Prosecuting Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants.” This pivotal event, organized within the framework of the UNODC Regional Programme titled "Dismantling Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling Criminal Networks in North Africa," funded by the European Union, which aims to support participating countries from West and North Africa in their efforts to prevent and counter transnational organized crime, trafficking in persons (TIP), and smuggling of migrants (SOM). The conference is held from 10 to 13 July 2023 in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt.

The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region faces significant challenges related to transnational organized crime, including trafficking in persons (TIP) and smuggling of migrants (SOM). According to recent reports, the region has witnessed a surge in irregular/ illegal migration, with thousands of individuals embarking on perilous journeys across the Mediterranean from Africa and the Middle East to Europe. The MENA region serves as a critical transit point, with countries such as Algeria, Chad, Egypt, Iraq, Libya, Morocco, and Tunisia experiencing high migratory flows. These movements place immense strain on the region's resources and pose significant security and humanitarian challenges. Additionally, the exploitation of vulnerable individuals by human traffickers and smugglers remains a grave concern. Efforts to address this issue require comprehensive strategies, strengthened international cooperation, and enhanced capacity-building initiatives among participating countries and relevant stakeholders.

The Inter-Regional Conference on International Cooperation in Criminal Matters aims to tackle these pressing issues by fostering collaboration, sharing best practices, and exploring effective approaches to dismantle criminal networks while safeguarding the rights of victims of TIP and SOM in the MENA region. The primary objective of the conference is to foster information exchange on best practices and available tools, while facilitating international cooperation in criminal matters as outlined in the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC) and its supplementing Protocols to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, especially Women and Children (Trafficking in Persons Protocol), and Protocol against the Smuggling of Migrants by Land, Sea and Air (Smuggling of Migrants Protocol), both supplementing UNTOC. By addressing the growing challenges posed by TIP and SOM, the conference seeks to enhance the collective capacities of the participating countries to combat these heinous crimes.

The recent expansion and evolving nature of irregular/illegal  migration across the Mediterranean from Africa and the Middle East to Europe, as well as  new trends and modus operandi used  by  criminal groups in the exploitation of victims of trafficking in persons have heightened the urgency for more efficient and effective strategies in targeting criminals and criminal groups/networks who exploit vulnerable individuals, while  safeguarding and assisting victims of trafficking in persons and smuggled migrants. Addressing this formidable challenge necessitates multisectoral and multinational efforts.

The UNODC ROMENA Regional Representative, Ms. Cristina Albertin, emphasized the importance of this event and stated “By strengthening international cooperation and promoting the exchange of information and best practices, and bringing together  relevant countries across the migratory routes, this conference will contribute to enhanced prevention, investigation, and prosecution of trafficking in persons and smuggling of migrants, whilst upholding the human rights of victims of human trafficking and smuggled migrants. We are grateful for the support of the Government of Egypt and the European Union in organizing this crucial gathering."

The Chairperson of NCCPIM&TIP, H.E Amb. Naela Gabr, expressed appreciation for hosting the conference, saying "Egypt has always been fully committed to the efforts exerted by the international community to promote gender, human rights, and fundamental freedoms, in its fight against the crime of trafficking in persons and smuggling of migrants, as the two crimes are not only transnational organized ones but also represent a violation of the basic human rights of victims of trafficking and smuggled migrants. The Egyptian vision for confronting these two crimes was reflected in several actions at various levels, whether legislative or executive, within the framework of the interdependent relationship between the two crimes.  This regional conference will facilitate collaboration among participating countries, experts, and key entities, ultimately leading to more effective actions to combat these heinous crimes."

The Inter-Regional Conference on International Cooperation in Criminal Matters will bring together representatives from participating countries including Algeria, Chad, Egypt, Iraq, Ivory Coast, Libya, Mali, Morocco, Niger, Nigeria, South Sudan, and Tunisia. Additionally, experts from various European Union countries, such as France, Greece, Italy, Malta, Spain, and The Netherlands, will be in attendance. The conference will also feature the participation of UNODC experts and key regional entities.

During the conference, participants will engage in presentations, discussions, thematic sessions, and panel discussions to address challenges, share experiences, and explore avenues for collaboration in investigating and prosecuting trafficking in persons and smuggling of migrants’ cases. The exchange of information and establishment of contacts for future bilateral and multilateral cooperation, both formal and informal, will be key outcomes of this event, as regional and international cooperation is integral for combating trafficking in persons and smuggling of migrants.

The Inter-Regional Conference on International Cooperation in Criminal Matters is jointly hosted by the Government of Egypt and UNODC ROMENA, with the generous support of the European Union.