OSCE Presence launches project to advance Albania’s training capacities in fight against human trafficking
The OSCE Presence in Albania presented today its project on advancing the training capacities of the School of Magistrates and the Security Academy in the fight against trafficking in human beings.
The Project – financed by the governments of the United States of America, Norway and Italy – aims to support the Albanian institutions to offer regular, specialized and sustainable training programmes for relevant law enforcement units across sectors as well as for judges and prosecutors. This will enable proper identification and support of victims and consistent application of law based on the seriousness of the crime.
“This project arrives at a crucial moment for the Albanian criminal justice system. With a new generation of criminal justice professionals and law enforcement personnel being deployed, it is crucial for them to not only receive training on this particularly dynamic and complex area – human trafficking – but to have institutional resources that can continuously keep them up to date on legal changes and best practices to respond to persistent and ever emerging challenges in this field,” the Head of Presence, Ambassador Vincenzo Del Monaco, said at the opening of the event.
He highlighted the accomplishments in this area in terms of strengthening legislation, establishing action plans, developing capacities of various professionals and conducting awareness raising. Del Monaco added that more needs to be done, with full commitment from stakeholders across the law-enforcement, social, and justice institutions as well as the international community. “No country is free from the plague of human trafficking, however progress to prevent and limit this crime is possible,” he said.
Deputy Head of Mission of the U.S. Embassy Demian Smith, Head of the OSCE division in the Italian Foreign Ministry Mario Bartoli, Deputy Minister of Interior Romina Kuko, Director of the School of Magistrates Arben Rakipi, General Director of the State Police Muhamet Rrumbullaku, and rector of the Security Academy Ilirjan Mandro also addressed the launching of the project.
In addition to the project, the Presence will soon support the Albanian institutions and particularly the Ministry of Interior, to initiate an analysis of the necessary resources and political will for law enforcement, prosecution and judiciary bodies – be they financial, human, material or policy resources – to carry out their anti-trafficking tasks.