Burundi now has a document of standard operating procedures to combat human trafficking

On wednesday february 15, 2023, the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Development Cooperation Mr. Ferdinand Bashikako officially launched the standard operating procedures to combat human trafficking.

In his host village, the President of the Commission for consultation and follow-up on the prevention and repression of human trafficking Colonel MASUMBUKO Epitace said that the Government of Burundi has not lagged behind in the fight against human trafficking. He cited in particular that since the 2000s, Burundi has ratified international legislative texts, it has promulgated national laws such as the anti-trafficking law of 2014, it has set up coordination structures such as the anti-trafficking commission people.

The representatives of the various partners present showed the importance of this document of operational procedures because they will allow all the parties concerned to identify and systematically note the signs of trafficking and the appropriate care for survivors as well as the facilitation of the support for victims and the prosecution of suspects. They further indicated that the launch of these standard operating procedures by the Government of Burundi comes at an opportune time, after the country’s stable rise in the ranking of the United States Sector of State’s annual report on Trafficking in Persons, from the category thhree, through category two.

In his speech for the occasion, the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Development Cooperation Mr. Ferdinand Bashikako indicated that the primary responsibility for the protection of victims lies with the national authorities, in accordance with national and international legal instruments. He added that we must also recognize the complementary role of other actors such as international organizations as well as civil society organizations in this fight.

Mr. Ferdinand Bashikako indicated that these procedures are designed to improve and support the identification, referral and assistance of victims of trafficking in the country through coordination and cooperation between the Government stakeholders, civil society and international organizations. He explained that these procedures will transform the quality and rigor of the work of protecting victims of trafficking and prosecuting perpetrators and provide minimum standards for effectively combating human trafficking. He suggested that it is an essential tool in the protection of victims and, as such, is a key element of the country’s efforts to establish a strong and comprehensive response against human trafficking.

The Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Development Cooperation continued to explain that the Government of Burundi was recently reclassified to Category two in the US State Sector’s Trafficking in Persons Report, based on progress made by Governments to fight human trafficking. The report recognizes the significant efforts of the Government of Burundi in its fight against human trafficking.

“The Government of Burundi, which has already embarked on this fight, fully supports these procedures, and calls on all national and international stakeholders fighting against human trafficking in Burundi to recognize them, appropriate them and fully implement them.”. he added.

It should be noted that this document was drawn up by the Commission for Consultation and Monitoring, Prevention and Suppression of Trafficking in Persons in Burundi in collaboration with international partners such as the United States of America, the Kingdom of Netherlands, Unicef and IOM.