09-05-2025
Brunei joins workshop on Asean legal cooperation to combat human trafficking
The delegation in a group photo. - RBPF
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN: A delegation from Brunei recently attended a workshop on the Asean International Legal Cooperation (ILC) Handbook and Asean International Legal Cooperation (ILC) Compendium in Bangkok, Thailand.
The delegation included personnel from the Prime Minister's Office, the Criminal Justice Division of the Attorney General's Chamber, the Human Trafficking Investigation Unit (USPM) of the Royal Brunei Police Force (RBPF), and the Immigration and National Registration Department, who attended as representatives of the National Working Committee on Anti-Trafficking in Persons.
The two-day workshop, held on May 6 and 7, was organised by the Senior Officials Meeting on Transnational Crime in cooperation with Counter Trafficking Asean-Australia (Asean-ACT) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.
The workshop's objectives align with the implementation of the Asean Convention Against Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children (ACTIP), and the Asean Multi-Sectoral Work Plan Against TIP 2023-2028 (Bohol TIP Work Plan 2.0).
It aims to strengthen international legal cooperation (formal and informal) among Asean member states, in line with Asean member states' laws on cross-border crimes, especially trafficking in persons (TIP) cases.
The project aims to update the Asean Handbook on International Legal Cooperation in Cases of Trafficking in Persons and prepare an Asean Compendium on International Legal Cooperation in Cases of Trafficking in Persons.
It also aimed at disseminating information to more stakeholders about the Asean Handbook and the Asean Compendium on Trafficking in Persons Cases to explore any future collaboration.
The two documents are expected to be further discussed for endorsement during the 25th Senior Officials Meeting on Transnational Crime (SOMTC).
The workshop was attended by 69 representatives from various Asean Sectoral Bodies, including participants from 11 countries.
The programme also promoted international cooperation and the exchange of ideas and views on the increasingly complex issue of human trafficking, ensuring a stronger response against all forms of exploitation related to human trafficking. – Borneo Bulletin/ANN
