Launch of new project to strengthen cooperation in preventing and combating human trafficking and cross-border crime

On October 2, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Vietnam and the Department of Drug and Crime Prevention and Control (PCMT&TP), Vietnam Border Guard Command jointly organized the launching ceremony of a 2-year project to improve the capacity to prevent and combat human trafficking in border areas and at sea in Vietnam.

Dự án mới nhằm tăng cường hợp tác trong phòng, chống mua bán người và tội phạm xuyên biên giới

Overview of the launching ceremony of a new project to strengthen cooperation in preventing and combating human trafficking and cross-border crimes. (Photo: Thu Trang)

The project is being implemented in the context of the increasing threat of human trafficking and related transnational crimes. The project is funded by the US State Department’s Office of Drug Enforcement Administration (INL).

Currently, Vietnam's economy is recovering rapidly after the Covid-19 pandemic, which has led to an increasing number of Vietnamese people migrating abroad to work in the hope of a better life and income.

Taking advantage of people's needs, human trafficking criminals use online platforms to recruit, defraud, coerce and exploit victims to work for online fraud centers operating in border areas of Southeast Asian countries.

In this context, the Vietnam Border Guard plays an important role in preventing and combating human trafficking and protecting and assisting victims of trafficking. With the task of managing 5,036 km of land border and 3,260 km of coastline, the Border Guard is the frontline force in preventing and combating cross-border crimes. The Border Guard is the first and sometimes the only force that victims of trafficking can come into contact with during the rescue process.

Head of IOM Vietnam Mission, Ms. Park Mi-Hyung, speaks at the ceremony. (Photo: Thu Trang)

Building on the success of previous cooperation projects between IOM and the Vietnam Border Guard, this project aims to strengthen the capacity of the Border Guard, especially frontline officers in border areas, to detect, investigate and handle human trafficking cases, as well as to identify, protect and assist victims of trafficking, especially in the context of crimes shifting to cyberspace.

Under the project, a new training manual on human trafficking prevention and victim protection will be developed for frontline officers. The training manual will be updated with new laws, crime trends and specific cases and distributed to key border posts.

The project will use this material to organize 16 training courses for more than 600 frontline border officers on crime prevention, combat and immigration control nationwide.

With the investigative support equipment funded by the project, border officers will be able to immediately apply their expertise to handle complex cases of human trafficking and related cross-border crimes, as well as improve their ability to protect and assist victims of trafficking.

Within the framework of this initiative, the project will create many opportunities to promote cross-border cooperation between the Vietnam Border Guard and regional partners, serving as a platform to exchange effective handling methods, professional knowledge and practical experiences that have been successfully applied in the investigation and prosecution of cross-border crimes.

In addition, the project also focuses on training communication skills for frontline staff to better engage communities and disseminate information on safe migration, reducing illegal migration in vulnerable communities in border areas.

Speaking at the project launch ceremony, IOM Vietnam Head of Mission, Ms. Park Mi-Hyung, expressed her pride in continuing to cooperate with the Department of Drug and Crime Prevention under the Vietnam Border Guard Command, to contribute to improving the capacity of Border Guard officers, the frontline force in receiving, protecting and identifying returned victims of trafficking. Facilitating safe and orderly cross-border migration, while maintaining border security and supporting border guards is one of IOM’s important tasks.

"Human trafficking is a global problem that requires close and effective coordination. This project is an important part of IOM's support to Vietnam to not only strengthen border management and manage migration flows, but also contribute to the implementation of the objectives of the National Program on Prevention and Combating Trafficking in Persons for the period 2021-2025 with a vision to 2030 and the Plan for Implementation of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration, of which Vietnam is an active member state in implementing the Compact," Ms. Park Mi-Hyung emphasized.

Colonel Vu Xuan Dai, Deputy Director of the Department of Drug and Crime Prevention, Vietnam Border Guard Command, praised the project. (Photo: Thu Trang)

Highlighting the purpose and significance of the project, Colonel Vu Xuan Dai, Deputy Director of the Department of Drug and Crime Prevention, Vietnam Border Guard Command affirmed: “International cooperation in preventing and combating organized and transnational crime in general, and human trafficking in particular, is an objective necessity. In the past time, the Department of Drug and Crime Prevention has implemented this work very effectively. Implementing the direction of the Ministry of National Defense and the Border Guard Command, the Department of Drug and Crime Prevention will actively implement approved cooperation activities, aiming to improve the effectiveness of preventing and combating human trafficking crimes in the coming time”.

For his part, Mr. Ryan McKean, Director of INL Vietnam, said: “We are proud to be partners with IOM and the Vietnam Border Guard Command in this new project to enhance the ability to identify, protect and assist victims of trafficking in land and sea border areas. By equipping frontline border officers with skills, they will play a key role in preventing and combating human trafficking, and the project also contributes to training and providing essential equipment to support Border Guard officers in performing this important task.”