By Samantha Iyar
Koror, Palau – On October 04, 2024 a handover ceremony took place at the Anti Human Trafficking Unit (AHTU) within the Bureau of Public Safety in Malakal, marking a significant collaboration between the the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and The Asia Foundation.
The AHTU received essential equipment, including a television, safe, camera, and other items depicted in the photo, aimed at enhancing outreach initiatives against human trafficking.
Paula Miller, USAID’s Country Representative for Palau, emphasized the importance of equipping local programs to ensure long-term success. “USAID provides the funding to The Asia Foundation, which has two program officers dedicated to this initiative. After five years, we aim to build sustainability in the program,” she stated. “One of the key components is ensuring that we have the right equipment and the right people in place.”
Miller highlighted the collaborative nature of this effort, noting that a variety of stakeholders—including public safety officials, border control agents, and media representatives—are involved in addressing human trafficking. “This was a need identified for outreach and collaboration among all actors involved,” she added.
The Pacific RISE-CTIP program, which includes Palau among its beneficiaries, focuses on countering trafficking in persons across five countries: Palau, Tonga, the Republic of Marshall Islands, Fiji, and Papua New Guinea. Shelley Remengesau, Chief of the Division of U.S. North, Central, and South America Affairs at the Ministry of State and program officer for Pacific RISE-CTIP, elaborated on the initiative’s timeline. “We are now in year four of this five-year program. Palau joined earlier this year,” she explained.
Remengesau expressed optimism about the future of this initiative: “We are working towards a continuation of these efforts with follow-up activities planned after this initial phase.”
Following the handover ceremony attendees participated in a photo opportunity to commemorate the occasion.
This event was part of the Pacific RISE Counter Trafficking in Persons (CTIP) program, aimed at bolstering efforts against human trafficking in the region.
As efforts continue to strengthen outreach against human trafficking in Palau, the collaboration between USAID and local authorities underscores a commitment to creating safer communities through informed action and adequate resources.