Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) Chief Executive Officer Ausamah bin Abdulla Al-Absi today received United Nations Officer on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Regional Chief for the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Dr. Hatem Fuad Ali.The meeting was attended by UNODC regional office communication coordinator Yasmin Baidhoon and General Directorate for Criminal Investigation and Forensic Evidence director-general Brigadier Abdulrahman Sinan.

Al-Absi briefed the delegation on tangible steps to combat human trafficking in cooperation with the Public Prosecution, the Interior Ministry, the Foreign Ministry, the judiciary, security agencies and civil society institutions.

Al-Absi, also Head of the National Committee on Combating Human Trafficking, stressed efforts to raise citizens and migrant workers’ awareness of their rights under law (1) for 2008 on combating the scourge of human trafficking.

“The panel is fully committed to honour Bahrain’s obligations on combating trafficking of human beings so as to ensure their dignity is respected and rights are heeded”, he said. He also unveiled LMRA plans to set up a new agency in charge of protecting migrant workers in coordination with security authorities.

A communication centre will also be opened to deal with expatriate workers’ complaints round the clock. The two sides approved a plan to promote technical and training cooperation and support the efforts of the Head of the National Committee on Combating Human Trafficking.