Myanmar - Myanmar is currently undergoing a fast-paced ‘opening-up’ that has seen a major acceleration of trade, migration flows and integration into the global economy. The government is responding by updating legislation, expanding bilateral cooperation, and training frontline officials in how to combat transnational crime, including human trafficking and migrant smuggling.

IOM and Myanmar’s Ministry of Labour, Immigration and Population have now produced a comprehensive training package for frontline officers from the Departments of Immigration and Social Welfare, and the Myanmar Police Force, on how to address transnational crime.

"This training package is designed to ensure frontline officials from Immigration, Police, and Social Welfare have the necessary knowledge and skills to better respond to the growing trends in transnational crime, particularly in the areas of human trafficking and migrant smuggling," said IOM Myanmar Chief of Mission Kieran Gorman-Best.

Some 500 frontline officers will be trained in recognizing and investigating cases of migrant smuggling and trafficking in persons, prosecuting traffickers and protecting the victims. Targeted areas will include Ayeyarwaddy Division, Shan State, Kachin State and Rakhine State, due to their high actual level or potential level of trafficking activity.

“This training programme will greatly benefit us in better preparing our frontline immigration officers to detect migrant smuggling and human trafficking,” said Director General of the Department of Immigration Myint Kyaing.

The project is part of an ongoing IOM immigration and border management capacity building programme in Myanmar funded by the US State Department’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL).

For further information please contact Josh Hart at IOM Myanmar, Email: jhart@iom.int, Tel: +95 925 200 5314.