Kenya has reaffirmed its commitment to the global fight against human trafficking and migrant smuggling, pledging to enhance international cooperation and strengthen legal frameworks to protect its citizens both at home and abroad.
The country reaffirmed its commitment to the two protocols that supplement the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, signalling renewed determination to confront emerging threats such as online recruitment scams and fraudulent job offers targeting young people.
The State Department for Diaspora Affairs emphasized that active participation in such global forums is central to its mandate of safeguarding Kenyans abroad.
By engaging through platforms like the UNODC, the government aims to fortify global partnerships, dismantle trafficking networks, and uphold the safety, rights, and dignity of Kenyan citizens across the world.
This resolve was highlighted during the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Working Group meetings on Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants, held recently in Vienna, Austria.
The Kenyan delegation was led by Principal Secretary for the State Department of Justice, Judith Pareno, who headed the team, alongside Glenns Etyang, Deputy Director at the State Department for Diaspora Affairs.
Etyang’s participation underscored the government’s focus on protecting the rights and welfare of Kenyans living and working overseas.
The high-level discussions brought together global experts and policymakers to explore ways of tackling the increasingly complex challenges of human trafficking and migrant smuggling.
Key topics included enhancing legal instruments, strengthening regional and international collaboration, and ensuring coordinated responses in line with UN protocols.
This comes amid cases of human trafficking syndicates in the country.
The most recent one being the discovery of at least 25 men housed in Athi River under the promise of getting jobs in Russia.
Some of them had paid funds running into millions to secure the alleged jobs before a multiagency team comprised of police and detectives pounced on them.
One suspect, believed to be an agent running the operation, was arrested and charged.