WEST AND CENTRAL AFRICAS NATIONS BEGAN A MEETING IN LIBREVILLE, GABON, WEDNESDAY TO CLAMP DOWN ON HUMAN TRAFFICKING, THE ECONOMIC COMMUNITY OF WEST AFRICAN STATES SAID AT ITS ABUJA HEADQUARTERS, DPA REPORTED. THE MEETING WOULD CONSIDER REGIONAL EFFORTS TOWARD FIGHTING THE MENACE IN BOTH SUB-REGIONS, ECOWAS SAID IN ITS STATEMENT. THE MEETING WOULD CONSIDER A CONSOLIDATED SITUATION REPORT AND ADOPT A DRAFT PLAN OF ACTION. IT WOULD ALSO WORK TOWARD A DRAFT MULTILATERAL COOPERATION AGREEMENT BETWEEN ECOWAS AND ECONOMIC COMMUNITY OF CENTRAL AFRICAN STATES AND DEVELOP TOOLS TO COMBAT PEOPLE SMUGGLING. ALSO TO BE CONSIDERED WAS THE LEGISLATIVE AND INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK FOR IDENTIFYING, PROTECTING AND ASSISTING VICTIMS OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING. IT WOULD ALSO FOCUS ON THE PREVENTION OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING, TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THE TRADITIONAL NORMS WHICH ENCOURAGED TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS. THE STATEMENT SAID RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE GABON MEETING WOULD BE PRESENTED TO A JOINT REGIONAL MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE SCHEDULED TO HOLD IN ABUJA IN JULY. THE MEETING IS CO-SPONSORED BY UNICEF, THE INTERNATIONAL LABOUR ORGANIZATION AND THE UN OFFICE ON DRUGS AND CRIME.
