VIENNA, 14 February 2003 - The OSCE is holding an important two-day seminar next week on trafficking in human beings, examining the impact of this modern form of slavery on the international economy and the national economies of the OSCE States. The phenomenon of trafficking and the struggle against it have moved up the international policy agenda in recent years. The seminar to be held in Ioannina, Greece, on 17 and 18 February, is the second in a series of three preparatory seminars leading up to the 11th OSCE Economic Forum to be held in May. Trafficking's economic perspectives, such as the root causes, the links between trafficking networks, financial flows, transportation routes, and the impact on the economy, have not been sufficiently analysed to date and will be discussed as interrelated issues requiring joint action by OSCE States. Each seminar thus examines a different form of trafficking. The first, held in Sofia, Bulgaria in November, concentrated on trafficking in small arms and light weapons, while the third, to held on 17 and 18 March in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, will focus on drugs. The three seminars will be instrumental in obtaining insight in the inter-linkages between the various types of trafficking. The 11th OSCE Economic Forum, scheduled for Prague, Czech Republic, from 20 to 23 May 2003, will then cover the overall theme: 'Trafficking in Human Beings, Drugs, Small Arms and Light Weapons: National and International Economic Impact". The media are invited to attend the Opening Plenary Session at the Hotel du Lac, from 9.00 to 10.15. The keynote speech will be delivered by Roger Plant of the International Labour Organization. Other speakers will include Marcin Swiecicki, Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities, Evangelos Malaisios, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Public Order, Greece, Frank Majoor, Secretary General of the Ministry Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, and Panayotis Kammenos, Vice-Chair of the Committee on Political Affairs and Security, OSCE Parliamentary Assembly. Richard Murphy Spokesperson/Head of Press and Public Information Press and Public Information Section OSCE Secretariat Kaerntner Ring 5-7 1010, Vienna Austria GMT +1 Tel.: +43 1 514 36 180 +43 664 548 53 89 (mobile) Fax: +43 1 514 36 105 E-mail: richard.murphy@osce.org Latest news from the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) - http://www.osce.org
[Reply to this message] [Start a new topic] [Date Index] [Thread Index] [Author Index] [Subject Index] [List Home Page] [HREA Home Page]