VZCZCXYZ0001
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHEG #2972 1371631
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 171631Z MAY 06
FM AMEMBASSY CAIRO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8302
INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS CAIRO 002972 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR G/TIP AND NEA/ELA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM KCRM EG
SUBJECT: MRS. MUBARAK CITES PRESIDENT BUSH IN LAUNCHING 
ANTI-TIP CAMPAIGN 
 
REF: CAIRO 1634 
 
Sensitive but Unclassified. Please protect accordingly. 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary: Speaking at an IOM conference in Cairo, 
First Lady Suzanne Mubarak, building on her activism at an 
Athens Conference in January, spoke out forcefully against 
TIP and pledged that her "Stop Human Trafficking Now!" 
campaign would work closely with governments and businesses 
to eradicate the "scourge" of TIP.  Her sustained activism on 
this issue suggests that Egypt is moving in the right 
direction on TIP and reinforces the Embassy's view that this 
is the wrong time to downgrade Egypt's tier ranking.  End 
summary. 
 
¶2. (SBU) On May 17 Egyptian First Lady Suzanne Mubarak 
addressed a conference in Cairo of the International 
Organization for Migration's business advisory board.  About 
100 persons attended, including the Ministers of Justice, 
Manpower, and Trade, a number of other Egyptian VIPs, several 
Egyptian film stars, journalists, foreign diplomats, and 
representatives of international organizations, including 
Brunson McKinley, President of IOM. 
 
¶3. (SBU) In her remarks the First Lady praised IOM's efforts 
to help governments, businesses, and individuals address the 
challenges and maximize the opportunities presented by the 
increasing phenomenon of transnational migration.  She also 
noted the multitude of economic, security, humanitarian, and 
public health issues prompted by transnational migration. 
She made special reference to President Bush's recent pledge 
to craft fair and humane policies that maximize the benefits 
and minimize the problems prompted by transnational migration. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Trafficking in persons was the focal issue in the 
First Lady's remarks.  She desribed TIP as a phenomenon which 
"affects almost every country on Earth, including Egypt." 
She continued that this "scourge" was especially disturbing 
because it affects women and children in particular.  The 
size and scope of human trafficking should not be 
underestimated, the First Lady asserted.  In recognition of 
this problem, and determination to fight it, she continued, 
her NGO, the Suzanne Mubarak Women's International Peace 
Movement, launched the campaign "End Human Trafficking Now!" 
during a meeting in Athens in January 2006.  Among the 
outcomes of the Athens meeting were the "Athens Ethical 
Principles" which pledged a partnership between businesses, 
governments, and individuals to combat trafficking through 
coordination of policies and business practices.   The Athens 
Principles -- distributed as a printed pledge statement for 
audience members to sign, at the persistent urging of the 
First Lady's staffers - also called on governments to adopt 
appropriate legislation to combat TIP. 
 
¶5. (SBU) "Our movement is committed to fostering cooperation 
between all stakeholders...to pursue a cross-sectoral 
approach" to eradicate human trafficking, she said.  The 
first tangible outcome of the campaign, the First Lady noted, 
would be an aggressive public awareness campaign.  (Note: 
"End Human Trafficking Now!" lapel pins were distributed at 
the event and worn by the First Lady and most guests.  End 
note.)  "We are aware that ultimately, the victims of 
trafficking will judge us not by our words but by the actions 
we take to help them," she concluded.  More information about 
Mrs. Mubarak's "End Human Trafficking Now!" campaign can be 
found at http://www.gcwdp.org. 
 
¶6. (SBU) Comment:  Several audience members remarked to the 
Ambassador that Mrs. Mubarak had gone out of her way to quote 
President Bush.  The First Lady's sustained activism on the 
TIP issue bodes well for continuing improvements in the GOE's 
anti-TIP efforts.  She will address the issue again during 
the WEF talks in Sharm El-Sheikh next week.  We reaffirm our 
view that it would be inappropriate and contrary to our 
anti-TIP and broader objectives with Egypt to downgrade 
Egypt's Tier II status in the 2006 TIP report.   End Comment. 
 
¶7. (SBU) Post eagerly awaits G/TIP's action plan for Egypt. 
We would like to move forward with GOE interlocutors, 
capturing the momentum of Mrs. Mubarak's speech. 
 
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