Philippine Ambassador to the UAE, H.E. Alfonso A. Ver, met with H.E. Saeed Alhebsi, Director of the Department of Human Rights at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MOFAIC), to discuss ways to strengthen the Philippines-UAE collaboration in combatting human trafficking. The meeting took place on March 28, 2023, in Abu Dhabi.
The Philippines and the UAE signed an MOU on Cooperation in Combatting Human Trafficking in 2018, which led to the first Joint Committee Meeting (JCM) in November 2021.
The Inter-Agency Council Against Human Trafficking (IACAT) is the focal entity for the MOU in the Philippines, while the National Committee to Combat Human Trafficking (NCCHT) is the focal entity in the UAE.
Ambassador Ver and Director Alhebsi were both part of the first JCM and committed to working closely to ensure that the two countries efforts to eradicate trafficking in persons are sustained.
The UN Migration Network cited the PH-UAE MOU signing in 2019 and the ongoing efforts of the two countries to combat trafficking as an example of a best policy practice that should be emulated.
Ambassador Ver emphasized that the cooperation between the Philippines and the UAE continues to expand and deepen, with both countries caring deeply for their nationals.
He stated that it is natural for the two countries to work hand in hand to eradicate human trafficking and remove illegal recruitment. He further stated that the PH-UAE collaboration has been successful, and the two countries will continue to find ways and mechanisms to help protect their people from nefarious elements.
The meeting between Ambassador Ver and Director Alhebsi is a testament to the ongoing efforts of both countries to address the issue of human trafficking.
Through sustained collaboration and cooperation, the Philippines and the UAE aim to combat human trafficking and promote the welfare of their respective nationals.
