The European Union says it is committed to ending Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants in Nigeria.
The EU Programme Officer in charge of Migration, Organised Crime and Drugs, Mr Ron Hendrix, made this known at a conference on Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants in Abuja on Wednesday.
The conference was organised by the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, supported by the International and Ibero-American Foundation for Administration and Public Policy.
Hendrix said the EU would provide support through a dedicated programme in collaboration with the UN Office on Drug and Crimes and FIIAPP to launch a programme in the early part of 2024 to check trafficking in persons and smuggling of migrants.
He, therefore, called on the Federal Government to strengthen efforts towards prevention and to enhance response to counter migrant smuggling and address alternatives to irregular migration.
The EU programme officer, while listing policy, prevention, protection, prosecution and partnership as the Union’s guiding framework, urged members and stakeholders in the fight against trafficking not to relent.
He said “I would like to pick two of these guiding frameworks, namely Policy, a profound policy is needed to ensure a basis and framework
from which all stakeholders can work.
“That framework has to be adapted when things change. In this regard, the European Commission recently proposed to upgrade its legislative framework, by laying down minimum rules to prevent and counter the facilitation of unauthorised entry, transit and stay in the EU with specific objectives.”
He disclosed that the European Commission is proposing a regulation to reinforce Europols’ role and inter-agency cooperation in the fight against migrant smuggling and trafficking of human beings.
Hendrix said that to do this, the European Commission will strengthen coordination at the EU level, strengthen inter-agency cooperation, improve information sharing, reinforce resources and strengthen Europol support through staff deployment.
(NAN)
