OSCE Special Representative, at European Parliament, speaks about link between human trafficking and migrant smuggling

BRUSSELS, 9 December 2015 – The OSCE Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings, Madina Jarbussynova, described the nexus between human trafficking and migrant smuggling in an address at a European Parliament conference on Tuesday.

“The complexity of migration flows in the OSCE region is increasing every day,” Jarbussynova said. “Mixed migration flows where no clear line exists between smuggled and trafficked people require a more flexible approach to improve the identification and protection of vulnerable people.”

Increasing numbers of people are on the move globally in regular and irregular conditions, either on a voluntary or involuntary basis. The scale of the exodus from areas of political instability, armed conflict, natural disasters and other problems makes it a cause for significant concern at the OSCE. 

The conference brought together leading experts to assess efforts and foster co-operation at the international and European level to prevent and fight migrant smuggling.

The Special Representative noted that the European Union (EU) can work together with the OSCE to further harmonize legislation to ensure effective co-operation across the Organization’s entire region, which stretches from Vancouver to Vladivostok.

“The EU is a critical stakeholder in our Organization, and the European Parliament can play a vital role in intensifying co-operation at the legislative level and provide financial support for our projects,” Jarbussynova said.

The Office of the OSCE Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings has been at the forefront of efforts to combat human trafficking along migration routes. In July, it organized a major conference in Vienna to address this issue.

Now it is developing an innovative capacity-building programme to comprehensively address traffickers’ impunity, as well as promote victim identification, along targeted migration routes. The project, to be carried out in 2016-2017, looks to involve law enforcement agencies, immigration authorities, the judiciary, civil society and financial investigators.