Manama – The International Organization for Migration (IOM) commends the Government of Bahrain for maintaining the highest classification on the four-tier list reported by the US State Department’s 2019 Report on Trafficking in Persons (TiP).

Bahrain is the only country in the Middle East and Africa to have reached Tier 1 ranking in the annual TiP Report from Washington. The 2019 TiP Report placed Bahrain in the Tier 1 classification for the second consecutive year, hailing its efforts in combating trafficking in persons as a noteworthy achievement in the field.

“Maintaining Tier 1 status in the US State Department TiP Report is not an easy task and must be seen as a recognition of Bahrain’s remarkable journey to becoming a model for tackling human trafficking in the region,” said Mohamed El Zarkani, IOM Bahrain Chief of Mission, who described the Kingdom’s efforts to mitigate human trafficking as stemming from the pro-active approach adopted by the government in protecting human rights and creating a fair and safe working and living environment in Bahrain.

El Zarkani explained that IOM is currently supporting the Bahrain National Committee to Combat Trafficking in Persons to develop a National Trafficking in Persons Strategy and a four-year action plan. In addition, IOM continues to provide capacity building for a broad spectrum of national stakeholders mandated with combating human trafficking in Bahrain. 

“The second consecutive year at Tier 1 as the only Arab country in the MENA region comes as a welcomed confirmation that we are moving in the right direction,” added Ausamah Al Absi, Chief Executive Officer of Bahrain’s Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) and Chairman of the National Committee to Combat Trafficking in Persons.

“However, being a cross-border crime, combating trafficking at the national level only is not enough. The Middle East has sending, transit, and receiving countries with unique characteristics that require their own home-grown solutions. Therefore, Bahrain aspires to act as a catalyst for a region-wide movement to eradicate trafficking though institutionalized efforts with the help of UN specialized agencies such as IOM,”  Ausamah Al Absi explained.

IOM and the Government of Bahrain have a long history of joint collaborative efforts in the field of protecting victims of trafficking and the development of skills and capacities of national cadres including the development of a National Referral Mechanism for migrants who are subjected to vulnerability and exploitation as well as establishing an assistance fund for Victims of Trafficking.

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For more information please contact Mohamed El Zarkani at IOM Bahrain, Tel: +973 172 78 320, Email: melzarkani@iom.int