VZCZCXYZ0028
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHEGA #6935 3251519
ZNR UUUUU ZZH ZUI RUEWCSE4726 3251512
O 211519Z NOV 06
FM AMEMBASSY CAIRO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0000
INFO ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC

UNCLAS CAIRO 006935 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
NSC STAFF FOR WATERS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM KCRM KWMN SMIG EG
SUBJECT: EGYPT:  DETAILS ON GOE FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING 
IN PERSONS (TIP) 
 
REF: A. CAIRO 6871 
 
     ¶B. CAIRO 6868 
     ¶C. CAIRO 6377 
     ¶D. CAIRO 2972 
     ¶E. STATE 185321 
     ¶F. STATE 175900 
 
¶1.  (SBU)  SUMMARY:  THE GOE IS TACKLING TIP WITH 
UNPRECEDENTED VIGOR AND COHERENCE.  THE FOREMOST DEVELOPMENT 
IS THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN INTER-MINISTERIAL COMMITTEE TO 
COORDINATE THE FIGHT AGAINST TIP THAT EXPAND AND COORDINATE 
ANTI-TIP OPERATIONS ON A NUMBER OF FRONTS.  PER REF E, POST 
HAS ADVISED THE GOE THAT GRADUATION FROM THE TIER 2 WATCHLIST 
WILL REQUIRE PROMPT, MEASURABLE ACTIONS IN THE NEAR TERM. 
END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2.  (SBU)  AS REPORTED IN REF C, THE GOES DECISION TO CREATE 
AN INTER-MINISTERIAL COMMITTEE TO COORDINATE AND EXPAND THE 
FIGHT AGAINST TIP IS A MAJOR POSITIVE DEVELOPMENT.  ACCORDING 
TO AN INTERNAL GOE MEMORANDUM DRAFTED BY THE PUBLIC 
PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE, THE GOE WILL LIKELY FOCUS ITS EFFORTS IN 
THREE KEY AREAS: 
 
--DRAFTING OF "UNIFIED INTEGRATED LEGISLATION"; 
--ESTABLISHING A "NATIONAL COORDINATING MECHANISM" ON TIP, 
COMPOSED OF KEY MINISTRIES AND AGENCIES, AND BACKSTOPPED BY A 
TECHNICAL SECRETARIAT; AND 
--TRAINING FOR ALL ENFORCEMENT, JUDICIAL, AND SOCIAL SERVICE 
STAFF. 
 
GOE CONTACTS CONCERNED WITH TIP HAVE ASSURED US THAT THE 
FORMAL ESTABLISHMENT OF THE TIP COMMITTEE IS IMMINENT, AND WE 
HAVE REPEATEDLY FLAGGED FOR THE GOE THE IMPORTANCE OF PROMPT 
ACTION ON THIS ISSUE.  THE AMBASSADOR PRESSED PM NAZIF TO 
FORMALIZE THE COMMITTEE VIA DECREE WHEN THEY MET ON NOVEMBER 
13 (REF A). 
 
¶3.  (SBU)  THE AMBASSADOR, DCM, AND EMBOFFS HAVE ALSO 
CONTINUED TO PRESS OTHER SENIOR GOE OFFICIALS ON THE NEED TO 
MAKE QUICK PROGRESS ON COMBATING TIP.  IN RECENT MEETINGS 
WITH EGIS CHIEF OMAN SOLIMAN AND THE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR (REF 
B), THE AMBASSADOR HAS ADVISED THE GOE OF THE NEED FOR 
PROMPT, MEASURABLE ACTION ON TIP.  IN A NOVEMBER 15 MEETING 
WITH NAELA GABR, THE MFA'S ASSISTANT MINISTER FOR 
MULTILATERAL AFFAIRS (WHO HAS THE GOE LEAD ON TIP ISSUES), 
DCM CONVEYED THE USG'S SUGGESTED ACTION PLAN ON TIP (REF E). 
GABR SAID THAT THE GOE IS FACING A RANGE OF REGIONAL AND 
DOMESTIC ISSUES WHICH IT IDENTIFIES AS HAVING A HIGHER 
PRIORITY THAN TIP (E.G., ARAB-ISRAELI PEACE, 
COUNTER-TERRORISM, CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM), BUT NEVERTHELESS 
IS MOVING FORWARD TO TACKLE TIP. 
 
¶4.  (SBU)  IN RESPONSE TO REF F REQUESTING INPUT FOR THE 
INTERIM ASSESSMENT OF EGYPT'S TIER 2 WATCHLIST STATUS, WE 
OFFER THE FOLLOWING INPUT KEYED TO THE ITEMS IN REF F: 
 
(A)  PROGRESS IN DRAFTING OF ANTI-TRAFFICKING LEGISLATION: 
AS PART OF THE PROCESS OF ESTABLISHING THE NEW 
INTER-MINISTERIAL COMMITTEE, THE GOE HAS BEGUN TO EVALUATE 
EXISTING LEGISLATION TO IDENTIFY GAPS WHERE NEW 
TRAFFICKING-SPECIFIC LEGISLATION MIGHT BE NEEDED.  THE FORMAL 
ESTABLISHMENT OF THE COMMITTEE WILL PERMIT THE COMMITTEE TO 
PROPOSE ADDITIONAL LEGISLATION TO ADDRESS THE GAPS.  THE 
CURRENT PARLIAMENT WILL ALSO REPORTEDLY CONSIDER IN EARLY 
2007 A NEW LAW--ALREADY DRAFTED--ON CHILDREN'S RIGHTS WHICH 
INCLUDES SPECIFIC ANTI-TRAFFICKING COMPONENTS.  (NOTE:  THE 
NEW DRAFT LEGISLATION ON CHILDREN'S RIGHTS IS NOT YET PUBLIC; 
POST IS SEEKING TO OBTAIN A COPY.  END NOTE.) 
 
(B)  PROGRESS IN FORMULATING A NATIONAL PLAN:  WITH THE 
IMMINENT FORMAL ESTABLISHMENT OF THE NEW COMMITTEE, POST 
ANTICIPATES THAT THE GOE WILL BE ABLE TO MOVE AHEAD WITH A 
NATIONAL PLAN TO COMBAT TIP.  POST'S PRESENTATION ON 11/15 TO 
MFA OF RECOMMENDED ACTION ITEMS (AS DETAILED IN REF E) TO 
SUPPORT EGYPT'S GRADUATION FROM THE TIER 2 WATCHLIST SHOULD 
HELP THE GOE TO SET ITS PRIORITIES. 
 
(C)  PROGRESS IN IMPLEMENTING PROCEDURES FOR IDENTIFICATION 
OF VICTIMS:  ACCORDING TO THE MFAS AMBASSADOR GABR, THE GOE, 
WORKING WITH UNDPS HUMAN RIGHTS CAPACITY BUILDING PROGRAM, 
WILL BEGIN IN JANUARY 2007 TO PROVIDE TIP-SPECIFIC TRAINING 
FOR GOE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS, PROSECUTORS, AND JUDGES. 
CAIRO LEGAT IS ALSO DESIGNING TRAINING FOR GOE LAW 
ENFORCEMENT ON TRAFFICKING AND HUMAN SMUGGLING, WITH THE GOAL 
OF OFFERING THIS COURSE TO THE GOE FOR MARCH/APRIL 2007. 
 
(D)  PROGRESS IN PROVIDING PROTECTION SERVICES FOR VICTIMS: 
BASED ON ANECDOTAL EVIDENCE, THE GOE CONTINUES ITS 
IN PERSONS (TIP) 
 
LONG-STANDING POLICY OF RELEASING ANY ILLEGAL MIGRANTS, WHO 
HAVE BEEN DETAINED BY THE GOE DURING AN EFFORT TO TRAVEL TO 
ISRAEL, TO THE RECOGNIZANCE OF THE MIGRANTS' RESPECTIVE 
EMBASSIES IN CAIRO, WHICH IN TURN HAVE ASSISTED THE MIGRANTS 
IN RETURNING TO THEIR HOME COUNTRIES.  POST WILL CONTINUE TO 
PRESS THE GOE TO ADDRESS TIP VICTIM ISSUES ON A COHERENT AND 
COMPASSIONATE BASIS. 
 
(E)  PROGRESS IN INCREASING INVESTIGATIONS AND PROSECUTIONS: 
THE GOE HAS THUS FAR NOT PROVIDED DATA THAT INDICATES AN 
INCREASE IN TIP-SPECIFIC INVESTIGATIONS AND PROSECUTIONS, 
BUT--AS DOCUMENTED IN BOTH MEDIA AND SENSITIVE REPORTING--THE 
SECURITY SITUATION IN SINAI, INCLUDING COUNTER-SMUGGLING 
EFFORTS, CONTINUES TO RECEIVE SIGNIFICANT GOE ATTENTION. 
 
¶5.  (SBU)  COMMENT:  FOLLOWING ON THE REGIONAL LEADERSHIP OF 
FIRST LADY SUZANNE MUBARAK (REF D AND PREVIOUS), THE GOE IS 
MAKING AN NOTABLE PUSH ON COMBATTING TIP.  POST WILL CONTINUE 
TO ENGAGE THE RELEVANT ELEMENTS OF THE GOE ON THE NEED FOR 
URGENT AND MEASURABLE ACTION ON TIP. 
RICCIARDONE