Ambassador-at-Large of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan Stanislav Vassilenko took part in the 10th Annual meeting of National Anti-Trafficking Co-ordinators and Rapporteurs or equivalent mechanisms, organized by the OSCE jointly with the Council of Europe.
Representatives of Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs and the National Center for Human Rights also participated in the event.
Kari Johnstone, the OSCE Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings, emphasized the need for coordinated international action in the face of the rapid adaptation of criminal networks and their active use of modern technologies. In turn, Petya Nestorova, Executive Secretary of the Council of Europe on Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings, highlighted the key role of multilateral cooperation, including the involvement of local and regional authorities and penitentiary services.
During a session dedicated to integrating anti-trafficking measures into broader strategies against organized crime, Oleg Tsoy presented Kazakhstan’s experience. He pointed out the growing role of digital technologies in the recruitment and exploitation of people, stressing the need for rapid information exchange, joint investigations and strengthen cross-border cooperation.
The Kazakh delegation also participated in a regional roundtable on combating human trafficking involving representatives from the five Central Asian States, chaired by Kari Johnstone. During the discussion, Stanislav Vassilenko presented Kazakhstan’s experience in repatriating citizens who had fallen victim to human trafficking and forced involvement in criminal activities at overseas scam centers. He proposed establishing a regional working group under the “C5+OSCE” format to facilitate information sharing, the early identification and referral of victims, joint specialist training and the coordination of actions to cross-border cases.
The new mandate of the Commissioner for Human Rights as the National Rapporteur on Combating Human Trafficking, emphasizing the importance of early victim identification and protection, as well as the exchange of best practices among national rapporteurs in the region were also outlined during the event.
Kazakhstan reaffirmed its commitment to continued active regional and international cooperation with the OSCE, the Council of Europe and other partners to prevent human trafficking, protect victims and combat transnational criminal networks.
