"Cambodia and US Pledge to Step Up Fight Against Human Trafficking", 14 August 2024

Cambodia and the US have agreed to continue to work together to combat human trafficking and online scam operations and centres, as the nation remains in Tier 3 of the US government's human trafficking report.

According to an announcement on the U.S Embassy Cambodia Facebook page, Chou Bun Eng, Permanent Vice Chairperson of National Committee to Counter Trafficking, and US Embassy Acting Deputy Chief of Mission, Aleks Zittle, co-chaired a Cambodia-US Joint Law Enforcement Information Exchange ...

“The two sides agreed to continue cooperation to combat human trafficking and online scam operations and centres, which have rapidly spread in the region and around the world, claiming victims globally, including in the United States,” it said.

Chou Bun Eng, Permanent Vice Chairperson of NCCT, said the US declares its partnership with Cambodia every year. However, when it comes to resources, they do not provide them to the ministry and government institutions, instead, they provide them to NGOs partnering with the US.

… Am Sam Ath, Operations Director of LICADHO, noted that the US and Cambodia have been collaborating to combat human trafficking for a few years, however, the US still ranks Cambodia third in human trafficking.

He added that this is close to the blacklist, noting that recently there has also been an increase in online fraud, giving an example of Indian citizens who were recently rescued.

… He said that to combat human trafficking and online fraud in Cambodia, the existing law needs to be improved, additional technical and vocational training is required for officials, and elimination of corruption in human trafficking…