November 6, 2024
PHNOM PENH – In what was described as a demonstration of ASEAN’s commitment to combating transnational crime, Indonesian ambassador to Cambodia Santo Darmosumarto met with several Cambodian National Police officers – who are about to depart for an anti-human trafficking forum in Indonesia – on November 4.
The officers will be attending the “Sharing Forum on Identifying, Screening, Investigating and Protecting Human Trafficking Victims,” scheduled to take place in Bali from November 7 to 9.
The event marks a forward step in translating a high-level memorandum of understanding (MoU) on combating transnational crimes – signed by both nations in August – into impactful actions on the ground.
The conference will bring together 15 representatives from Cambodia’s National Police Headquarters and the National Committee for Counter Trafficking (NCCT) to deepen cross-border collaboration and build capacity in victim-centred approaches.
Legal experts and experienced law enforcement officers will lead sessions on identifying, screening, investigating and protecting victims of human trafficking, sharing strategies that will be applied in both countries.
“This forum will be one of the initial building blocks for transforming the commitments of the MoU into tangible actions,” said Darmosumarto.
“Through practical training and knowledge-sharing, we are laying the foundation for a stronger, coordinated response to human trafficking. The most basic foundation for this is greater interactions among our law enforcement officials,” he added.
During the November 4 briefing at the embassy, the ambassador emphasised the forum’s importance in translating high-level commitments into real, on-the-ground impacts.
It is hoped that collaborative efforts between the two nations will set a precedent for a unified response across Southeast Asia, enhancing communication networks and facilitating the sharing of best practices among ASEAN member states.
For Cambodian and Indonesian law enforcement agencies, this partnership should mark the beginning of sustained cooperation, making it easier to track, dismantle and prevent trafficking operations across borders.