VZCZCXYZ0001
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHUNV #0146/01 0961542
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 061542Z APR 09
FM USMISSION UNVIE VIENNA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9251
INFO RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 1569
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS

UNCLAS UNVIE VIENNA 000146 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
STATE FOR G/TIP AND R 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: PHUM KWMN PREF SMIG KCRM UN KTIP
 
SUBJECT: Human Trafficking Back on UNODC's Agenda 
 
Ref: (A) 08 UNVIE VIENNA 00149, (B) 08 UNVIE VIENNA 00150, (C) 08 
UNVIE VIENNA 00416 
 
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SUMMARY 
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¶1.  (SBU) Following a busy and difficult year for anti-human 
trafficking issues in Vienna in 2008, the UN Office on Drugs and 
Crme (UNODC) is taking measures to improve and focus its activities. 
 UNODC has formulated a draft thematic program to fight human 
trafficking and consolidated the UN.GIFT (Global Initiative to Fight 
Trafficking) program into its broader anti-human trafficking 
activities.  UNODC management now seems dedicated to technical 
assistance, as opposed to high-profile awareness campaigns (e.g., 
the February 2008 Vienna Forum, Refs A and B), and has a strong 
desire to see anti-trafficking initiatives originate in Vienna 
rather than New York. UNODC also launched the "Blue Heart" campaign 
in March to raise awareness on human trafficking.  UNODC is becoming 
a more effective and influential player in global efforts against 
human trafficking.  UNODC is enthusiastic about the nomination of 
Luis de Baca as Ambassador at large since he is known in Vienna from 
his past visits as a technical expert.  Mission recommends 
Washington consider providing political and financial support to its 
efforts. 
End Summary. 
 
----------------------------------- 
Addressing a Fragmented Bureaucracy 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶2.  (SBU) According to various UNODC interlocutors, UNODC is slowly 
addressing past concerns regarding competing human trafficking 
offices within the organization.  As currently structured, UNODC's 
Division of Operations (charged with providing donor-funded 
technical assistance projects) has two related units: the UN Global 
Initiative to Fight Trafficking (UN.GIFT) Unit, and the 
Anti-Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling (ATMS) Unit, both of which 
are under the DO's Section of Governance, Human Security and Rule of 
Law (GHSRL).  However, the two units have not always coordinated 
their activities.  Based on a decision approved by the Executive 
Committee in late 2008, these two units will soon merge into one. 
Under a further reorganization, this merged office is likely to move 
into UNODC's legal division, which is appropriate given the treaty 
basis of UNODC's trafficking efforts.  Various sources have 
confirmed that Doris Buddenberg, a longtime field officer for UNODC, 
and most recently head of the UN.GIFT program, as the person likely 
to head up this new merged unit.  (Note:  Buddenberg is a D-1, while 
the head of the GHSRL section is a P-5.  She has just returned from 
a months-long leave without pay.  End Note.) While it remains to be 
seen how well the merger actually unfolds, the fact that UNODC 
recognizes the need for a more coherent managerial arrangement is 
promising. 
 
------------------------------ 
Moving to Technical Assistance 
------------------------------ 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Under the leadership of Buddenberg, we expect the new 
consolidated unit to focus more heavily on technical assistance, as 
opposed to outreach and awareness activities that have caused some 
concern to us in the past.  UN.GIFT (REF C), started in 2007 with a 
$15 million donation from UAE, was originally devoted primarily to 
awareness raising and public relations campaigns.  The planning and 
hosting of the multi-million dollar "Vienna Forum" in February 2008 
was viewed by many delegations as a symbol of UN.GIFT's disconnect 
with the desire of Member States to receive more technical 
assistance and training, as well as with broader UN efforts.  This 
was compounded when UNODC Executive Director Costa unilaterally 
unveiled his plans to develop UN "brands" for anti-corruption 
(UN.GRACE) and anti-firearms trafficking (UN.ARMS) activities. 
 
¶4. (SBU) An April 2008 backlash by Member States ultimately led to 
the abandonment of UN.GRACE and UN.ARMS.  Buddenberg tells us that 
this pressure from Member States, and perhaps the UN.GIFT unit's own 
evolution of thinking on the issue, led UN.GIFT to shift its 
emphasis from flashy awareness campaigns to technical assistance. 
She stated privately and unambiguously that she disagrees with the 
grandiose public outreach ambitions of Executive Director Costa. 
 
¶5. (SBU) The UN.GIFT unit has since developed "joint programs" for 
seven pilot countries/regions: Pakistan, Serbia, Haiti, 
Bolivia/Argentina, East Africa, Egypt and Central Asia.  These 
"joint programs" seek to involve a number of UN.GIFT steering 
committee partners in preparing needs assessments and following up 
with needed technical assistance.  As evidence of this shift in 
emphasis, Buddenberg states that while the remaining money 
(estimated to be around $6 million) in UN.GIFT's coffers should not 
be seen as "start-up capital" for these joint programs, she is 
willing to deploy it to promising programs as a short-term financial 
bridge, while their fundraising efforts are still getting off the 
ground.  Finally, and promisingly from a treaty 
implementation/technical assistance perspective, UN.GIFT is 
developing different guidelines for member states, such as those 
developed with ILO on child trafficking and with IOM on victims. 
Such collaboration with other UN partners reflects an attempt to be 
more cost-effective, operational and ultimately effective in the 
mission to fight human trafficking. 
 
¶6.  (SBU) UNODC's ATMS unit has traditionally been much more 
involved in technical assistance projects, but it has been hampered 
by a lack of strategic thinking and a coordinated strategy.  ATMS is 
primarily focused on building capacity of member states to implement 
the Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Protocol of the UN Convention 
against Transorganized Crime (UNTOC).  The unit has contributed to 
UN.GIFT work, but because most of its earmarked funding comes from 
Canada and the European Commission, they are more focused on migrant 
smuggling issues.  Buddenberg says she intends to strengthen their 
focus on TIP issues. 
 
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Stressing the Importance of the TIP Protocol 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
¶7.  (SBU) In addition to the imminent merger of the UN.GIFT and ATMS 
sections into one coherent office, UNODC's draft thematic program on 
TIP is also cause for optimism.  In the first instance, it is 
oriented around implementation of the TIP protocol.  In order to do 
so, the program lays out seven areas for the provision of technical 
assistance by the Office to member states, with a particular focus 
on criminal justice responses: legislative assistance; strategic 
planning and policy development; data collection and research; 
criminal justice system responses; victim protection and support; 
international cooperation; and, prevention and awareness raising. 
By refocusing its efforts on the protocol-and by extension, those of 
the Member States-UNODC is correctly identifying where its value 
added lies. (Note: Missionoff acquired a copy of the draft thematic 
debate, which has not yet been distributed to Member States and is 
awaiting final approval by ED Costa.  Mission will email a copy to 
IO/T, INL/PC and G/TIP. End Note.) 
 
¶8.  (SBU) Both Buddenberg and Rikka Puttonen, an experienced 
criminal justice official and current head of the ATMS unit, have 
expressed their view that promoting implementation of the TIP 
Protocol should be the major focus of UNODC's - and even UN's - TIP 
activities.  To this end, Buddenberg has pledged to increase 
cooperation between the new TIP unit and the Organized Crime and 
Criminal Justice Section of UNODC's Division of Treaty Affairs 
(DTA), which oversees treaty-based-activities and has been focused 
heavily on developing model laws and policies to promote 
implementation of the TIP Protocol. 
 
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Vienna as the Center 
-------------------- 
 
¶9.  (SBU) Buddenberg is also concerned about UN TIP policies coming 
out of New York, at the expense of UNODC's work.  Buddenberg, 
Puttonen and others believe that Vienna is where UN TIP projects and 
statements should originate.  However, Buddenberg states, Costa and 
others at the "highest level" have determined that TIP initiatives 
are more effectively advanced in New York.  Nevertheless, Buddenberg 
believes UNODC can take the lead again, and that Costa may be 
supportive, but it needs political will and financial assistance. 
Specifically, Buddenberg is concerned about the possibility of a 
Global Plan of Action coming out of New York.  If it calls for 
action plans and strategies, she is concerned that UNODC would be 
sucked into servicing those mandates at the expense of what she sees 
the real value added of UNODC-servicing UNTOC and the TIP Protocol, 
and carrying out technical assistance projects. 
 
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Blue Heart Campaign 
------------------- 
 
¶10.  (SBU)  In a separate conversation with Alun Jones,  UNODC's 
Chief of Communication and Advocacy, Missionoffs learned about the 
Blue Heart campaign launched by UNODC Executive Director Antonio 
Costa at the Women's World Awards in Vienna in March 2009.  Jones 
said the international campaign aims to raise awareness and bring 
people together to fight human trafficking. The campaign uses the 
Blue Heart to symbolize the sadness of those who are trafficked, 
while reminding us of the cold-heartedness of those who buy and sell 
fellow human beings.  The use of the blue UN color also demonstrates 
the commitment of the United Nations to combating this crime against 
human dignity.  UNODC intends to treat this as grassroots campaign 
that gains momentum using the web and new media outlets like 
facebook and other social networking sites.  According to Jones, 
UNODC seeks co-operation with other entities, organizations, and 
governments through the campaign.  UNODC's ultimate goal is to make 
the Blue Heart a common and shared symbol like the red ribbon for 
AIDS. Jones said a high-level U.S. endorsement of the campaign and 
display on the U.S. Mission website would be "very much 
appreciated." 
 
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Comment 
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¶11.  (SBU) Like many governance and finance issues surrounding the 
UNODC, human trafficking-related activities have suffered from a 
lack of administrative coherence and strategic vision, and from a 
top leadership that views public visibility as a primary indicator 
of success.  UN.GIFT was only the latest example.  However, we are 
encouraged by UNODC's latest direction on this issue.  The thematic 
program against human-trafficking, along with the merger of DO's two 
units, reveal at least the desire to become more efficient and to 
better deliver technical assistance.  Buddenberg, as evident in the 
proposals for the thematic programs, identifies the TIP Protocol as 
the central organizing principle of any UNODC anti-trafficking 
initiative, but at the same time identifies the need for victim 
protection and support and prevention.  The thematic program is 
well-balanced in its goals, and responsive to U.S. hopes that UNODC 
be focused in its efforts, outcome oriented, financially and 
administratively efficient, and comprehensive in its understanding 
of the challenge.  Finally, Buddenberg's and her colleagues' 
concerns about events in New York have spurred them to reclaim their 
TIP mandate.  It will be important that Buddenberg and her 
colleagues convince Costa that coordination across the UN system is 
also critical to successfully countering human trafficking, and 
Mission will continue to make that case to the Executive Director. 
Assuming Buddenberg and others are effective in implementing their 
stated intentions, and in line with the Secretary's high priority on 
anti-human trafficking initiatives, Mission recommends Washington 
consider political and financial support for UNODC's efforts in this 
regard. Mission will continue to closely monitor developments in 
this area.  In the short term, the Blue Heart campaign is a good 
idea that merits USG endorsement.  We would welcome guidance from 
G/TIP and R about how this might be accomplished.  Adding the blue 
heart to the UNVIE and G/TIP website would be a good place to start. 
 Future Blue Heart campaign work should take into account similar 
campaigns such as the UK's "Blue Blindfold Campaign" and look for 
opportunities to dovetail messages. END COMMENT. 
 
SCHULTE