Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Trinh Xuan Truong speaks at the event (Photo: VNA) Lao Cai (VNA) – A working delegation led by US Ambassador toVietnam Marc Knapper paid a working trip to the northern border province of LaoCai on February 21, during which the diplomat held a working session with Chairman of the provincial People’sCommittee Trinh Xuan Truong and attendeda discussion on human trafficking prevention and control hosted by FamilyHealth International 360.
ChairmanTruong said at present, the provincial Social Work Centre and Compassion House areproviding reintegration support for human trafficking victims in line with theLaw on Human Trafficking Prevention and Combat.
He wishedthat both sides would hold seminars and conferences with the participation ofinvestigation officers to share experience in anti-human trafficking. He also calledon the US’s non-governmental organisations to help trafficking victimsreintegrate into the community sustainably.
The hostsuggested the Ambassador encourage US firms to learn about businessopportunities in the province.
Knapper,for his part, expressed his delight at achievements and efforts made by Lao Cai as well as the USGovernment in the fight against human trafficking in Vietnam.
He wishedto learn more about the province’s socio-economic situation and infrastructuredevelopment.
US Ambassador to Vietnam Marc Knapper speaks at the event (Photo: VNA)
Accordingto him, the US Embassy is encouraging more Americans to visit Vietnam and LaoCai’s Sa Pa town in particular. He hoped that the two countries will upgradetheir ties to strategic partnership this year.
The USsupports a strong, prosperous and independent Vietnam; respects thesovereignty, territorial integrity and political regime of Vietnam, he said.
In theafternoon the same day, Knapper attended a discussion on supporting humantrafficking victims within the framework of the Meeting Targets and Maintaining EpidemicControl (EpiC) project funded by the US Agency for InternationalDevelopment (USAID).
Theproject aims to help the Vietnamese Ministry of Labour, Invalids and SocialAffairs’ Department of Social Vices Prevention and Combat, departments andagencies perform the Government’s priorities in human trafficking preventionand control from July 2021 to September 2023, toward supporting victims andthose at high risk of becoming victims.
LaoCai is one of the 25 localities to sign a cooperation mechanism to supporthuman trafficking victims.
On theoccasion, the US Ambassador visited the Compassion House under the managementof the provincial Social Vices Prevention and Combat Sub-Department.
Foundedin 2010, the Compassion House has received and helped 320 female victimswho were lured and sold across the border. Its operation is funded by theUS’s Pacific Links Foundation./.
