U.S. commends Viet Nam's efforts in human trafficking combat

In a recent interview with VGP, Zeya said the U.S. and Viet Nam are committed to combating human trafficking, and the two sides have many ways to partner on this important priority, including under our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

As noted in the 2024 Report, Viet Nam's efforts to eliminate trafficking included increasing investigations, prosecutions, and convictions for suspected trafficking crimes; identifying and assisting more trafficking victims; repatriating and assisting 4,100 potential victims from online scam operations in neighboring countries; and consulting with non-governmental and international organizations on amendments to the revised 2011 anti-trafficking law and submitting a draft of it to the National Assembly for review.

No country is immune from this issue, especially as trafficking patterns become more complex. There is more to do, and it will be vital for Viet Nam to continue partnering with the international community to continue to combat human trafficking, said Zeya.

To keep momentum going and maintain Tier 2 status, she strongly encourages Viet Nam to continue addressing the report's recommendations for improvement including proactively screening, identifying, and providing specialized services to trafficking victims, particularly among returnees from online scam operations, as well as foreign national trafficking victims present in or transiting through Viet Nam.

Additionally, Viet Nam should remain vigilant to the potential for official complicity in human trafficking crimes, resolutely investigating, prosecuting, and sentencing any alleged cases.

According to Zeya, Viet Nam has taken steps to strengthen international cooperation to identify and repatriate trafficking victims this past year, particularly in cross-border trafficking cases at online scam operations based in Laos, Cambodia, and Myanmar.

The joint law enforcement action conducted by Vietnamese and Lao People's Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) law enforcement in August, led by the Criminal Police Department in Ha Tinh Province, is an example of a substantive and concerted approach to trafficking investigations that we hope to see continue.

It will be important to build upon this work by expanding and institutionalizing training for frontline law enforcement officials, particularly those working in border provinces, so they have the skills they need to proactively screen victims returning to Viet Nam and increase information-sharing with international counterparts to investigate transnational trafficking cases.

In reference to the joint law enforcement action conducted by Vietnamese and Lao PDR law enforcement, we hope to see all potential trafficking victims who were repatriated to Viet Nam efficiently and proactively screened and formally identified as victims.

The U.S. continues to support capacity building and training for those working on the frontlines – police, border guards, and other local officials – to address current and emerging challenges, affirmed Zeya.

The U.S. also looks forward to deepening our cooperation and training for law enforcement on victim screening and to improve data collection and information sharing on human trafficking, she added.

The U.S. is working with Viet Nam on multiple fronts to prevent trafficking in persons. Through USAID, the U.S. is partnering with the Ministry of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs to institutionalize training and mentoring for frontline workers so they can better support victims using trauma-informed care models.

Through the Department of State, the U.S. is partnering with the Ministry of Public Security, the Ministry of National Defense, and others to enhance the capacity of frontline officers to screen for potential trafficking victims, conduct evidence-based human trafficking crime investigations, and support a victim-centered approach to combating human trafficking.

The Department of State is also supporting United Nations programs to combat forced criminality in online scam operations that include Viet Nam. One program will train criminal justice practitioners to identify cases and refer victims to services and another program will raise public awareness in the region and equip private sector companies to identify and respond to use of their systems to promulgate online scam operations.

Under-Secretary of State Uzra Zeya affirmed the U.S. is committed to supporting our partners in the region to address online scam operations in the coming years./.