OSCE Mission to Skopje supports revised national action plan to combat human trafficking

SKOPJE, 9 December 2008 - Ambassador Natalya Drozd, the Acting Head of the OSCE Spillover Monitor Mission to Skopje, said today she welcomed progress on the country's National Action Plan to Combat Human Trafficking.

The action plan was revised with the involvement of all relevant stakeholders and with support from the OSCE Mission. Starting today the National Commission to Combat Trafficking in Human Beings and Illegal Migration will prepare the revised plan for presentation and adoption by the Government.

"The revised National Action Plan to Combat Human Trafficking is an important document that provides concrete goals, objectives, outcomes and deadlines for coming period," said Ambassador Drozd. "The inclusion of all relevant stakeholders in the revision process once again speaks about the commitment of the government to have a multi-sectoral approach and to design an action plan which will be effective and can be realistically implemented by all actors."

The revised action plan stipulates participation in key international agreements as well as strict deadlines for activities and the inclusion of financial information. Earlier this year the OSCE Mission supported a thorough evaluation of the existing National Action Plan, in effect since 2006, and its implementation, which contributed to the revision process.