Trafficking of persons in Gabon

Remarks by Ambassador Benjaminson

Trafficking In Persons (TIP) Breakfast Roundtable

Friday, September 21, 2012, 8:30 – 10:30 am

Dear friends and colleagues, 

            Good morning and thank you for joining us here today for breakfast and for what I hope will be a productive discussion of a topic that is important to your countries as well as my own.  Since my arrival in October 2010, I have remarked at the dedication of the Gabonese government to the fight against trafficking in persons.  I applaud these efforts and assure you that the United States remains a partner in this fight.

            Tomorrow, September 22, 2012, will mark the 150^th anniversary of the date on which President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, which formally freed slaves in America.  I invited you all here to commemorate this date for two primary reasons:  first, to call attention to the ongoing American promise of freedom from involuntary servitude and slavery, and, second, to solidify the United States’ support for Gabon’s engagement in the worldwide fight against human trafficking.

            Trafficking in persons involves the exploitation of people through force, fraud, coercion, threat, and deception.  Historically, Gabon’s relative wealth has made it an attractive destination for West and Central Africans seeking a better life.  The United States shares Gabon’s dilemma, as our country is also a destination country for trafficked persons.  Over the past few years, Gabonese authorities have intensified the fight against traffickers.  Through training and investigations, law enforcement and prosecutors now better understand the methods, routes, and networks that traffickers use to exploit their victims.  In addition to law protecting children from trafficking, Gabon has taken the step to outlaw the trafficking of adults through the ratification and future harmonization of the United Nations Protocol to Prevent, Suppress, and Punish Traffickers (or the Palermo Protocol).  Dedicated individuals in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Justice, Social Affairs, and Labor, law enforcement and security agencies, and government partners, such as UNICEF and several non-governmental organizations, deserve the bulk of the credit for Gabon’s increasing momentum. 

            My government and my Embassy remain committed to working with each of you in the fight against human trafficking, as evidenced by those in this room who have received U.S.-funded training on trafficking and related subjects and the close relationships you have with key Embassy staff working in this issue.  Please be assured that my Political/Economic Counselor Jenny Bah and Political Assistant Regina Manga remain ardently supportive of your efforts and welcome feedback on how the United States government can assist you further.  Combating human trafficking is a U.S. priority and a priority for my Embassy.

              Today, we are here to listen and dialogue.  I invite each of you to share your thoughts on Gabon’s accomplishments and the remaining challenges in the fight against human trafficking.  I invite each of you to offer suggestions on how the U.S. can better support your ongoing efforts.  And, I invite each of you to continue this engagement after this meeting so that we can achieve our shared goal of protecting trafficking victims and preventing this heinous crime.