Valiant Richey appointed as OSCE Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings

VIENNA, 4 October 2019 - Valiant Richey has been appointed as the new OSCE Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings. OSCE Secretary General Thomas Greminger and  Ambassador Radomír Boháč, the Permanent Representative of the Slovak Republic to the OSCE and Chairperson of the OSCE Permanent Council, welcomed Richey’s appointment as the fifth Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings since the OSCE Permanent Council established the position in 2005.

“Richey has capably served as the Acting Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings for the last 14 months and has brought an innovative and practical approach to the OSCE. I have great confidence that he will lead the Office to even more accomplishments in his new role,” Greminger said.

The OSCE Special Representative and Co-ordinator supports OSCE participating States in their efforts to combat trafficking in human beings through awareness raising, coordination, policy development, research, and capacity building.

Prior to joining the OSCE, Richey worked for 13 years as a prosecutor in Seattle, United States, handling sexual assault, child exploitation and human trafficking cases. He also led a coalition of public and private sector stakeholders in combating human trafficking and was appointed by the Washington State Attorney General to represent prosecutors on the Washington State Trafficking in Persons Coordinating Committee.  Before becoming a prosecutor, Richey managed a public office in Washington State which provided policy and fiscal analysis to the Legislature. He has a Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts in Political Science from Boston University and a Juris Doctor from the University of Washington.

Regarding his appointment, Richey said: “I am immensely honored to lead the OSCE’s anti-trafficking efforts and to be entrusted by the Chairmanship and Secretary General in assuming this role. Together with my highly skilled team, I very much look forward to building on the work already done and supporting the OSCE participating States in eradicating trafficking in human beings.”