NATIONAL HARBOR MD - In a bid to implement target objectives of the Ouagadougou 2002 and Rabat 2006 commitments, Sub Saharan African experts on Human trafficking and responsible travel and tourism hosted a world summit in the beautiful Gaylord Resort and Convention Centre at National Harbor in Maryland.

The summit was organized by the African Tourism Organization (ATO,) an advocacy group based in Washington DC and its secretariat in The Gambia, with the support of Prince George County in Maryland, USA.

In a related development, the White House in Washington DC recently released a presidential determination with respect to foreign government efforts regarding trafficking in persons consistent with section 110 of the U.S. Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000.Among key objectives of the summit are the activation of international partnerships to aid in addressing growing African environmental issues to combat human trafficking including sex tourism with the help of 21st century visual technology.

Affirmations of participants documented commitments to increase understanding and responsiveness by African Governments and to initiate training forums to aid in program implementation by representatives of participating African Heads of States.Maryland, Prince George County, Executive Jack Johnson expressed his optimism and conviction toward achievement of the objectives of the summit. He added that his County was committed to curbing or eliminating the menace of human trafficking here and enjoined other local agencies to be part of the effort. Prince George’s County has a highly diverse number of residents who speak 100 different languages.

The moderator, Ndioro Ndiaye, President; Alliance for Migration, Leadership and Development in Geneva, also called for better collaboration and understanding amongst other counter trafficking agencies in destination countries. Lars Loof of the Children’s Unit, Council of the Baltic States, reaffirmed that his Scandinavian group will continue to identify, support and implement cooperation on behalf of children at risk between countries and organizations in the Baltic region, especially, and for adopting the ethics of responsible travel and tourism.

In his own remarks, H.E. Lansana Kouyate, ATO Honorary Chair, UN Ambassador, ECOWAS, Secretary General, Co-Chair, Francophone Organization and former Prime Minister of Guinea, encouraged participating officials to establish an agreeable, working understanding thus leading to a dynamic flow of information amongst member countries. H.E Kouyate, who was returning from Asia to chair the Summit, recalled a lesson he learnt on a visit to his child’s school; he recounted that written on the board was a definition of Responsibility as “the ability to respond”. H.E Kouyate enjoined all participants of the summit to respond to the call of Responsible Travel and Tourism though propagating the ills of human trafficking.

He further enjoined victimized countries not to recall the shame of trafficking but to recognize the Shame of “not Combating Human Trafficking”. The draft affirmation for collaboration between the Executive County Office, Prince George’s County, Maryland, Partners and The African Tourism Organization, Secretariat in the Gambia, ATO Advocacy Group, USA and Sub-Saharan African Inter agency network was adopted and sign.The Director General of ATO, Ibiduni (DUNI) Jones, in her closing remarks, expressed her optimism over the actualization of the objectives of the Summit and commended all the speakers for their contribution for over 4 years and through the encouragement and wealth of information shared in past years and at the event. She also acknowledged assistance and monitoring rendered to the organization for the past six years by the Nordic Baltic Task Force of Sweden; and by her direct adviser, H.E Kouyate, with whom she has been in contacted regularly.

Officials Present at the Summit;

• Hon. Jack B. Johnson, Executive, Prince Georges County, MD, USA
• H.E Lansana Kouyate, ECOWAS Sec Gen, Former Prime Minister of Guinea
• Simon Egede, Executive Secretary, NAPTIP, Nigeria
• Mia Nyegaard, Hope-Now, Denmark
• Eric Chinje, Manager, World Bank, Washington DC, USA
• Lar Loof, Head, Children’s Unit, Council of the Baltic Sea States
• Nick Kinsella, Unit Head, United Kingdom Human Trafficking Center, Sheffield, England
• Prof. Sulayman Nyang, African studies, Howard University, USA
• Prof.Ndiaye Ndioro, Chair, Alliance for Migration Leadership and Development, Geneva
• Mmabatho Ramagoshi, VP, ATO Advocacy Group, the Gambia
• Ibiduni (DUNI) Jones, Director General, ATO, USA-the Gambia
• Rev.Bandy Kennedy, Walker Mill Community Development Cooperation
• Hon. Anna Kachikho, Minister of Tourism, Malawi
• Hon. Henry Shawulu, Member Federal House of Reps, Nigeria
• John Afele , Volunteer, COO, The United States –West Africa Group
• Moriyina Cole, MBA ,Health and The Environment, Albany, New York ,USA
• Anne Radd, Volunteers for Abused and Neglected Children (Court Appointed Advocates),DC
• Cecil Byrd, International Graduate University ,Washington D.C
• James N. Garnet, JGR Associates International, Inc. USA

Article written & Photos provided by Tosan Aduayi

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