Tonga’s Police Commissioner Shane McLennan in a virtual address supported the launching of a Pacific Regional Initiative and Support for Effective Counter Trafficking in Persons on 29 July in Suva.

This marked the World Day Against Trafficking on 30 July.

The five-year partnership launched by USAID with the Asia Foundation worth US$10 million engages Fiji, Marshall Islands, Papua New Guinea, and Tonga aims to implement counter-trafficking in persons interventions. 

Commissioner McLennan said this milestone is another step in continuing our national efforts of collaboration across sectors and partnering with our community, to ensure that we have a robust framework for improving prevention, protection and prosecution in countering trafficking in persons.

Support to the multi-sectoral approach that engages government, civil society, the private sector with solid and robust relationships are essential to making a lasting impact in a way that meets national priorities and aligns with community leadership, he said.

“Tonga’s efforts to meet global standards will work in partnership with Pacific RISE-CTIP to build a safer community for all, one in which all members of the community are safe, protected, empowered, and connected to address the challenges of trafficking in persons.”

The Commissioner also cknowledged the opportunity to work with USAID and Asia Foundation hence welcoming a strategic, programmatic and financial oversight that this partnership will provide for the project.

Ranking 

Tony Greubel, Charge d’Affaires at the U.S. Embassy in Suva said, the Pacific RISE CTIP represents the U.S. government’s commitment to partner with Pacific Island countries to combat trafficking in persons.

"USAID supports Pacific Island countries in upholding human rights and ending this modern form of slavery."

On 19 July the U.S. State Department released the 2022 annual trafficking in persons report (TIP). 

The U.S. Secretary of State is required to submit the TIP report to Congress annually under the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (TVPA). The annual TIP report documents the efforts by countries’ governments, including the United States, to combat human trafficking.

Fiji maintains a Tier 2 ranking while Palau and Tonga remain in the Tier 2 Watch List in 2022, relative to 2021.

According to TVPA, the governments of these countries do not fully meet the minimum standards in the elimination of TIP but are making significant efforts to comply with TVPA standards.

Through this project, USAID’s goal is to reduce trafficking incidence and vulnerability by enhancing mechanisms and strategies to prevent trafficking, improve protection services for victims, and increase access to legal services and remedies, he said.

At the same time, Sandra Kraushaar, Asia Foundation Regional Representative for Pacific Islands, said they are supportive of the aspect of a holistic, multi-sectoral approach that engages government, civil society, and the private sector.

"Strong and robust relationships are essential to making lasting impact in a way that meets national priorities and values community leadership."