US embassy cable - 05KUWAIT2515

C O N F I D E N T I A L KUWAIT 002515 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FOR NEA/ARPI, G/TIP, G/PRM 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/06/2015 
TAGS: PHUM, PREL, PGOV, ELAB, PREF, KU, UN 
SUBJECT: UN PROGRAMS AVAILABLE TO ASSIST GOK IN IMPROVING 
TRAFFICKING SITUATION 
 
REF: A. STATE 98114 
 
     B. ABU DHABI 1873 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Richard LeBaron for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) 
 
1. (C) Poloff met June 6 with UN Resident Coordinator Moez 
Doraid and IOM Chief of Mission Mohammed Al-Nassery to 
discuss reaction to the 2005 Trafficking in Persons report, 
which downgraded Kuwait to Tier 3, and possible next steps to 
ameliorate the country's problems with the exploitation of 
domestic workers and camel jockeys. Al-Nassery opened the 
meeting by saying he was "very glad" that the report ranked 
Kuwait as Tier 3, which he hoped would spur Kuwait to 
participate further in IOM's anti-trafficking and 
repatriation programs. He outlined the available three 
programming options: regional migrant resource center, 
laborer reintegration program and camel jockey repatriation. 
 
Regional Migrant Resource Center 
-------------------------------- 
 
2. (C) According to Al-Nassery, IOM and the Ministry of 
Social and Labor Affairs are anticipated to sign a memorandum 
of understanding on June 15 in Geneva to establish a regional 
migrant resource center in Kuwait, which will offer 
information to expatriate workers and labor attaches of 
source country embassies. In addition, the center will 
establish a legal assistance referral system for labor 
migrants in need. The GOK is expected to designate a building 
for the center while also covering costs for staff. Source 
countries, such as Indonesia, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, 
together will contribute 25% of the center's operating costs 
while the United Kingdom has pledged to finance the balance. 
Al-Nassery predicted the center would open by September. 
 
Reintegration Program 
--------------------- 
 
3. (C) Al-Nassery also hopes to enlist Kuwait as the newest 
participant in IOM Jakarta's reintegration program designed 
to assist Indonesians returning from working abroad. The 
program, launched in cooperation with G/PRM, first assesses 
the socio-economic conditions of the repatriated migrant and 
his/her family in Indonesia before providing counseling to 
victims, if needed; offering vocational education and medical 
assistance; and extending microenterprise financing to 
interested returnees. Destination countries pay for program 
costs generated by returning laborers. Kuwait, for example, 
would reimburse costs associated with migrants returning only 
from Kuwait. 
 
Caring for Camel Jockeys 
------------------------ 
 
4. (C) The UN officials also expressed interest in extending 
a UNICEF child camel jockey repatriation program, initially 
targeted for the UAE (ref B), to Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. 
Rescued underage jockeys would be returned to their home 
countries, principally Bangladesh, Mauritania, Pakistan and 
Sudan. Were it determined that the children could not return 
to their families, they would be placed into shelters or safe 
houses in their home countries and provided with similar 
services as in the aforementioned reintegration program with 
a focus on education, specifically instruction in their 
native language whose fluency they may have lost after 
speaking only Arabic while working in the Gulf. 
 
5. (U) Khartoum minimize considered. 
 
********************************************* 
Visit Embassy Kuwait's Classified Website: 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/ 
 
You can also access this site through the 
State Department's Classified SIPRNET website 
********************************************* 
LEBARON