Cindy Dyer, US Ambassador-at-Large to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons, was in Cambodia to discuss the nation’s efforts in combat human trafficking in the nation and the region.

During the visit from November 15 to 17, Ambassador Dyer met with government officials to build a relationship with the new government for future coordination and advocate for progress in the most critical areas, including increased investigations and prosecutions of cyber scam operations.

This included meetings with the Ministry of Justice; Ministry of Labor; Ministry of Social Affairs; National Police; and the National Committee for Counter Trafficking (NCCT).

According to a press release from the US Department of State, the trip served as an opportunity for information sharing and coordination on anti-trafficking efforts. In addition, Ambassador Dyer also participated in discussions with civil society organizations working on anti-trafficking efforts.

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“The discussions will focus on Cambodia’s efforts to protect trafficking victims including providing protection assistance services for victims of trafficking and vulnerable migrants, capacity building for service providers and government officials to improve victim identification and referral, and addressing emerging trends in forced criminality,” the statement said.

Wesley Holzer, Spokesperson of the US Embassy in Phnom Penh, told Kiripost via email that Ambassador Dyer’s visit is part of ongoing US efforts, in partnership with various stakeholders in Cambodia and worldwide, to encourage governments to hold traffickers accountable, protect victims, and prevent human trafficking.

“The United States stands with the Cambodian people to identify, support, and seek justice for human trafficking victims,” he said.

According to the 2023 Trafficking in Persons Report: Cambodia, Cambodia ranks Tier 3, indicating that the government does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so, even considering the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

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However, the government took some steps to address trafficking, including investigating, prosecuting, and convicting traffickers, creating a special working group to investigate credible reports of large-scale cyber scam operations involving indicators of forced labor, and identifying and providing services for trafficking victims.

In 2022, the government prosecuted 292 suspected traffickers involved in 88 cases under the anti-trafficking law; 16 of these cases involved sex trafficking, 24 involved forced labor, and 47 involved unspecified forms of trafficking.

“Observers reported at least three of these convictions were not of traffickers, but were instead victim advocates engaged in and punished for their attempts to free victims from cyber scam operations,” the report said.