ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION ON CORRUPTION AS A FACILITATOR OF TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND SMUGGLING OF MIGRANTS

This roundtable discussion was organized by the United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in collaboration with the Regional Support Office (RSO) of the Bali process, held on 06 July 2023 at Hotel Taj Samudra, Colombo.

All member institutions of the NAHTTF and senior officials from the Commission to Investigate Allegation of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) were participate at the event.

The welcome and opening remarks were done by Major General JR Kulatunga, Chief of National Intelligence /Head of Officials of the NAHTTF, Dr. Rebecca Miler, Regional Coordinator – Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling, UNDOC Regional Office for Southeast Asia and the Pacific (ROSEAP) and Mr. Ryan Winch, Programme Manager (Transnational Crime & Technology) The Bali Process on People Smuggling, Trafficking in Persons and Related Transnational Crime.

The CIABOC and the Department of Immigration and Emigration presented respectively an overview of the Anti-Corruption framework in Sri Lanka in the context of Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants and the legal framework applicable to smuggling of migrants.

Dr. Rebecca Miller has presented an overview of UNODC Research Report Findings on the subject followed by question and answering session.