DUSHANBE, November 11, 2010, Asia-Plus -- The U.S. Government provided over $650,000 for counter-trafficking projects, which led to the establishment of the National Anti-Trafficking Training Center under the Criminal Justice Department of the Faculty of Law at the Tajik State University, according to the U.S. Embassy in Dushanbe.

On November 10, U.S. Ambassador to Tajikistan Ken Gross was at the opening ceremony of the expanded center, together with the First Deputy General Prosecutor of the Government of Tajikistan, Abduqodir Muhammadiyev, and Chief of Mission of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Zeynal Hajiyev, the U.S. Government’s implementing partner.

Working with Tajiksitan''s Inter-Ministerial Commission on Combating Trafficking in Persons, the Project addresses human trafficking through training for law enforcement officers and university students on how to investigate, prosecute, convict and punish traffickers.

At the ceremony, Ambassador Gross voiced the U.S. Government’s strong commitment to fight against forced labor, sexual exploitation and modern-day slavery worldwide.  He stated that “solving this crime is not easy.  It requires close cooperation of law enforcement and government officials.  This Center is designed to improve these efforts.”  In 2009, the U.S. Government supported 168 international anti-trafficking programs, totaling about $84 million and in more than 80 countries.  He commended the Government of Tajikistan for its achievements in fighting this crime.

“As we look ahead, this Training Center will be a place for active inquiry, for discussion and research, for lectures and seminars, and for collaborative programs with educational institutions and state structures”, said Mr. Zeynal Hajiyev of IOM Tajikistan.  “IOM Tajikistan, with INL’s support, has been providing assistance to the Government of Tajikistan on combating Trafficking in Persons for the last five years.”

Since 2005, the U.S. Embassy in Dushanbe, through INL and the U.S. Agency for International Development, has provided approximately $3 million in program assistance to support Tajikistan’s efforts to combat human trafficking.