The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the OSCE Project Coordinator`s Office in Baku have signed a Declaration on cooperation in combating human trafficking and supporting this combat in Azerbaijan, APA reports.

The Declaration was signed by Charge d`Affaires of the US Embassy in Baku Dereck Hogan and OSCE Project Coordinator in Baku Ambassador Alexis Chahtahtinsky.

The OSCE Project Coordinator`s Office in Baku is implementing a project on combating human trafficking. Under the Declaration, USAID will support the project of the OSCE Project Coordinator`s Office and provide technical and financial assistance in the amount of $610,000 with the view of preventing human trafficking and forced labor and increasing efficiency of combat on such cases. Thus, outreach efforts to the Azerbaijani government and civil society will be supported. The main objective is to raise public awareness on human trafficking and provide technical and financial assistance to civil society organizations governing asylums for victims of human trafficking and forced labor. Moreover, the document will enhance multilateral coordination and cooperation in prevention of forced labor as well as all forms of human trafficking via organization of roundtable discussions and development of recommendations for government.

U.S. Chargé d`Affaires Dereck Hogan said the declaration they have signed today reveals that the U.S. is determined to help the efforts of its partners in Azerbaijan to combat human trafficking through USAID. According to him, the U.S. government will continue and expand these efforts in coordination and cooperation with its partners, including the Azerbaijani government and different civil society organizations.

OSCE Project coordinator in Baku Alexis Chahtahtinsky said that on account of the extra budgetary support of USAID and the U.S. government, they will be able to considerably increase the support they are providing to the Azerbaijani government’s efforts in the fight against human trafficking, noting that the project implemented by the OSCE Project coordinator in Baku on the fight against human trafficking in Azerbaijan was approved by the Azerbaijan government in June 2014.

“It’s very important to unite our efforts in order to prevent this type of slavery from emerging in the 21st century. We can be successful if this global problem is effectively dealt with everywhere. That is why joint efforts of the OSCE, the U.S. government and the Republic of Azerbaijan in this area are so important,” he added.

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