LMRA’s CEO: The Kingdom of Bahrain is keen to share success stories with regional states in addressing the crime of trafficking in persons
The Labour Market Regulatory Authority’s (LMRA) Chief Executive Officer, Chairman of the National Committee for Combatting Trafficking in Persons, H.E. Mr. Jamal Abdulaziz AlAlawi underscored Bahrain’s unwavering interest in sharing its distinguished pioneering and successful experience with the global community in combatting trafficking in persons by presenting its unique experience in procedural spheres and mechanisms of combatting this type of crime, in addition to sharing its unrelenting endeavors in qualifying and enhancing the potentials of its human elements, who constitute the main pillar of detecting and combatting this crime.

H.E. Mr. AlAlawi gave the above statements upon receiving members of the Moroccan National Committee for Combatting & Preventing Trafficking in Persons and UNODC representatives of Morocco during a familiarization visit to the Kingdom of Bahrain in collaboration with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), as part of the US State Department programs, aimed to learn of Kingdom of Bahrain pioneering experience in this field. The visit lasted from 21st to 24th March 2022.

At the outset of the visit, H.E. Mr. AlAlawi welcomed the Moroccan delegation and underlined the close fraternal ties between the two kingdoms, hailing the key role of the UNODC Office for the GCC Region in the field of combatting trafficking in persons.

The LMRA’s CEO underscored the Kingdom’s relentless interest in sharing the Combatting Trafficking in Persons experience and updating procedural spheres and mechanisms, emphasizing Bahrain’s unwavering desire for sharing the Combatting Trafficking in Persons efforts with the global community through circulation of its pioneering experience to other countries through a well-studied regional perspective, in collaboration and partnership with relevant UN agencies, particularly the UNODC Office for the GCC Region.

The four-day familiarization visit featured a number of activities including bilateral meetings and presentations organized to Combat Trafficking in Persons agencies, shedding light on the roles and responsibilities of LMRA’s concerned authorities, the role of Trafficking in Persons Prosecution, and the Combatting Trafficking in Persons Directorate at the Ministry of Interior, in addition to reviewing the Combatting Trafficking in Persons efforts in collaboration with all related governmental entities via the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) which regulates related procedures, roles and mechanisms of dealing with victims of trafficking in persons or those exposed to abuse.

The Moroccan delegation made a field visit to the Expat Protection Centre, the first comprehensive centre in the Middle East region in providing protection, guidance and shelter to victims in accordance with the international standards. The delegation also visited the Regional Centre of Excellence and Capacity Building for Combatting Trafficking in Persons and reviewed its specialized training programs which are designed on basis of a regional perspective. The delegation was acquainted with the centre’s key role in preparing the scientific studies and researches in Combatting Trafficking in Persons.

On the other hand, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime representatives in Morocco and GCC region Mrs. Siham Al Figuigui and Mrs. Sohaila Hussain hailed Bahrain’s unique experience in Combatting Trafficking in Persons field, saying it is well-recognized by the global community as a serious sustainable experience. They further added that the familiarization visit enabled the delegation to get acquainted with the best practices adopted by the Kingdom of Bahrain which have made the Kingdom an accredited hub in Combatting Trafficking in Persons field.

Present at the meeting were the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Acting Undersecretary for Consular and Administrative Affairs, Deputy Chairman of the National Committee for Combating Trafficking in Persons, H.E. Ambassador Khalil Yaqoub Al-Khayat, the Chief Prosecutor, Member of the National Committee for Combating Trafficking in Persons, Advocate General, Consultant Dr. Ali Al-Shuwaikh, Member of the National Committee for Combating Trafficking in Persons Mrs. Shereen Al Saati, Secretary of the National Committee for Combating Trafficking in Persons Mr. Duaij Khalifa Albinali, and the Director of Anti-Human Trafficking and Protection of Public Moral Values Department at The General Directorate of Criminal Investigation and Forensic Science at Ministry of Interior Colonel Abdulwahab Rashid Bunashi, in addition to a number of LMRA’s senior officials.