PHNOM PENH: Cambodia and the United States are teaming up to combat human trafficking. US Ambassador W. Patrick Murphy met on Tuesday with Minister of Women’s Affairs, Ing Kanthaphavy, along with other representatives from the Ministries of Labor, Justice and Social Affairs. The talks centered on strategies to fight human trafficking in the Kingdom.

At the office of the Minister of Justice, US Ambassador W. Patrick Murphy has guaranteed that the United States is committed to supporting the Royal Government in its efforts to prevent human trafficking, especially to enhance law enforcement and increase public awareness.

The Ambassador has also announced that the Biden Administration is launching a new five-year program, the Counter Trafficking in Person, or CTIP, that will address the root causes of human trafficking, protect vulnerable people and assist Cambodian stakeholders to effectively combat human trafficking in the country.

According to the Ministry of Women’s Affairs Facebook page, the US delegation expressed appreciation for the government’s progress in battling human trafficking. They have also shown interest in the Ministry of Education’s campaign regarding lessons intended to increase student awareness about the issue. Both Cambodian and American authorities have agreed that sites at a high-risk for human trafficking, such as construction sites, brick manufacturing kilns as well as entertainment and hospitality venues need to be closely monitored. More talks and further cooperation regarding human trafficking are expected to be held.