Muscat – Oman has stated in the UN General Assembly that it will not falter in continuing its efforts to combat human trafficking despite the many challenges it faces.

H E Dr Mohamed bin Awad al Hassan, permanent representative of Oman in United Nations, said that “the phenomenon of human trafficking is incompatible with the lofty principles and values of the Sultanate of Oman,” during a high-level meeting of the UN General Assembly in New York on the appraisal of the UN Global Plan of Action to Combat Trafficking in Persons.

H E Dr Hassan added that despite the global hurdles posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the government of Oman never wavered in combating human trafficking. “Here, I would like to point out that Oman’s three-year National Plan for Combating Human Trafficking (2021-2023) is focused on a set of goals, among which are training frontline workers and raising social awareness.”

H E Dr Hassan spoke of the successful ‘Insan’ initiative. “It was launched by the government of Oman, in cooperation with the private sector and civil society associations, and focused on educating workers in private sector institutions. It was credited with raising awareness and educating a wide sector of workers and employers about the phenomenon (human trafficking), risks and ways to report such cases and to preserve the safety of society and protect human rights.”

He said in addition to these efforts at the national level, “my government has joined many international and regional treaties and conventions on combating human trafficking.”

At the conclusion of his speech, H E Dr Hassan affirmed that Oman renews its commitment to the United Nations plan to eliminate human trafficking.

Speaking at the meet, Abdulla Shahid, president of the UN General Assembly, said that the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated factors – such as poverty, unemployment and gender-based violence – that fuel human trafficking.