U.S. applauds Edo integrated anti-human trafficking efforts

&NewLine;<ul class&equals;"wp-block-gallery columns-0 is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex"><&sol;ul>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<p>United States Chargé d&&num;8217&semi; affaires&comma; David Young on March 26&comma; 2019 visited Edo State&comma; where he met with government leaders&comma; traditional rulers and civil society representatives with a view to understanding the socio-economic factors that perpetuate trafficking in persons in the state and the multi-faceted efforts being used to eradicate it&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<p>Speaking during a courtesy call on the Edo State Deputy Governor Philip Shuaibu at the Government House in Benin City&comma; Chargé Young commended the state government’s anti-trafficking model and pledged the U&period;S&period; Mission’s commitment to expanding the scope of its collaboration with states such as Edo&comma; which serve as a source or transit point for human trafficking&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<p>&OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;We are pleased with the important progress that has been made to combat trafficking in persons in Edo State&comma; through the Three Ps&colon; Prevention&comma; Protection and Prosecution of those individuals involved in human trafficking&period; This is one of the issues the U&period;S&period; government is focused on&comma; as it is a horrific crime and we recognize its long-term effects on people who are trafficked to other countries&comma;” Chargé Young said&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<p>At the palace of the Oba of Benin&comma; where he had an audience with Oba Ewuare II&comma; Chargé Young emphasized the pivotal role of traditional institutions in eliminating the scourge of human smuggling&period; He lauded the monarch’s leadership and direct involvement in the crusade to end trafficking in the state&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<p>&OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;We note that the Benin monarchy has taken the lead in statewide efforts to prevent young people from being trafficked&period; Survivors with whom we have interacted confirm that the King’s nullification last year of all oaths sworn by trafficking victims had a remarkable impact&comma; by neutralizing the psychological hold of the trafficking syndicates and encouraging survivors to return home&period; This&comma; in addition to the laudable efforts of the Oba Ewuare II Foundation&comma; continues to bring freedom to many&comma;” he noted&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<p>Chargé d&&num;8217&semi; affaires Young met trafficking survivors at Idia Renaissance Center&comma; a non-government organization focused on ending human trafficking in Edo State&period; He also participated in a roundtable discussion on trafficking and illegal migration with representatives of the Edo State Task Force Against Human Trafficking&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;