Skopje, 18 April 2023 (MIA) – The systemic approach in the fight against trafficking in human beings and commitment to end modern slavery is a testimony of OSCE’s relevance and reflection of its leadership as an action-oriented and solutions driven organization, said OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and Minister of Foreign Affairs Bujar Osmani, who opened the 23rd Conference of the Alliance against Trafficking in Persons via video address on Tuesday.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Osmani stressed that the topic of the Conference is timely and serious, particularly because of the Russian aggression on Ukraine and its byproducts experienced by the whole OSCE region.

“The gravity of the moment, the seriousness of our time calls for responsibility, patience and wisdom, the vital features of leaderships. As Chairpersonship, we will continue to promote leadership through inclusivity and the involvement of actors across different spectrums of society. A set of different approaches would only strengthen our response mechanisms, contribute to good accountable governance and overall societal progress,” said Osmani in his address.

In order to achieve this, apart from leadership, we also need political will, stressed Osmani. He reiterated the motto of North Macedonia’s OSCE Chairpersonship “It’s About People” and underscored that actions must focus on the people most impacted by this issue.

“Trafficking in human beings is a matter of human security. States have a duty to care for victims and potential victims of this crime. Not only over the next two days, but in all our anti-trafficking efforts, let us always keep the people in mind. We must hear their voices and concerns, their hopes and fears. We must put a human face on all our documents, words and deeds,” said Osmani.

In his address, Osmani touched upon the measures adopted by North Macedonia in the fight against human trafficking, such as the adoption of the 2021-2025 National Strategy and Action Plan for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings and Illegal Migration, as well the 2021-2025 National Strategy and Action Plan for Combating Trafficking of Children.

“These documents ensure that all our national actors are harmonized and deliberate in their response to trafficking and their actions fit in an overall strategic vision,” said Osmani.

The Foreign Minister added that North Macedonia needs to strengthen its efforts to detect, prosecute and convict traffickers, and that the OSCE participating countries can learn a lot from each other.

“OSCE Special Representative and Coordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings, Valiant Richey, and his able team have made an extraordinary contribution to the fight against trafficking and succeeded in raising the profile of the OSCE’s anti-trafficking work,” said Osmani

The Conference is being held on the 20th anniversary of the adoption of OSCE’s Action Plan. The discussion aims to showcase positive examples of national leadership in combating human trafficking within the OSCE region, as well as equip States with the necessary structures and laws to effectively human trafficking,

The outcomes of the Conference will be an affirmation of the commitment to eradicate human trafficking and a roadmap for success in the next 20 years of the OSCE Action Plan.

Photo: MFA