Brunei Darussalam recently participated in the ASEAN Workshop on the National ASEAN Convention Against Trafficking in Persons (ACTIP) Representatives Mechanism and the ASEAN Workshop on Monitoring and Reporting of the Monitoring, Evaluation, Reporting and Learning (MERL) Framework of the Bohol Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Work Plan 2.0.
Representing Brunei Darussalam were officials from the Human Trafficking Investigation Unit at the Royal Brunei Police Force and the Security Division at the Prime Minister’s Office.
This initiative falls under the Senior Officials Meeting on Transnational Crime (SOMTC) and contributes to the implementation of the ASEAN Multi-Sectoral Work Plan Against Trafficking in Persons (TIP) 2023–2028 (Bohol Work Plan 2.0).
The workshops were organised by SOMTC-Philippines, as the proponent, in collaboration with the ASEAN-Australia Counter Trafficking (ASEAN-ACT) and hosted by SOMTC-Vietnam. The workshops were specifically designed to gather National ACTIP Representatives (NARs) to discuss their roles and share best practices in combating human trafficking. This was established to facilitate discussion and operational mechanisms among NARs and ASEAN Sectoral Bodies (ASBs). The workshops also aimed to socialise the MERL framework.
Furthermore, they provided a platform for relevant parties to understand the guidelines and preparation of MERL reports by ASEAN member countries.
Approximately 40 participants from ASBs across 11 countries attended the four-day workshops. The programme also aimed to encourage international cooperation to address the increasingly complex issue of human trafficking and to ensure a more conclusive response to all forms of exploitation within human trafficking. – James Kon
