Ambassador Le Hoai Trung, Permanent Representative of the Vietnamese delegation at the United Nations, has reiterated the country’s commitment to the fight against human trafficking.

“Combating human trafficking is a consistent policy and a priority of the Government of Vietnam along a comprehensive approach,” he said at the UN High-level Meeting on Global Action Plan on Human Trafficking on May 13-14 in New York .

The strong political commitment of Vietnam to address the issue is reflected in a large number of important laws, policies, programmes and plans of action in many areas, he added.

According to the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNDOC), Vietnam has one of the highest conviction rates for traffickers in the world.

The Vietnamese Government attaches great importance to international cooperation, the diplomat said, adding that the country ratified the UN Convention on Transnational Organised Crime and its Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Human Trafficking.

It has also actively participated in many regional and international initiatives and processes on the prevention of human trafficking as well as has had bilateral agreements on this field, he said.

The ambassador highlighted Vietnam ’s policies and laws, saying that they “are conformable to the four main pillars of the Global Plan of Action” and conventions on fight against human trafficking that the country has participated.

The Vietnamese Government and organisations have worked effectively with the UNODC and other international governmental or non-governmental organisations in the field.

“Vietnam looks forward to the continued cooperation with the international community to this end,” he stressed.

At the meeting, representatives expressed their concern over the increase of human trafficking and called for cooperation in combating human trafficking between countries, governments and non-governmental and civil social organisations and private sectors.-VNA