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Ambassador Luis CdeBaca director of the U.S. State Department’s Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons
Ambassador at large for trafficking issues Luis CdeBaca visits Cambodia
September 1, 2009
On September 1st, Ambassador Luis CdeBaca, director of the U.S. State Department’s Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons, arrived in Phnom Penh for a 4 day visit to Cambodia. The Ambassador spent two days in the capital for talks with officials from the Royal Government followed by a two day trip to Siem Reap to meet with several non-governmental organizations and Sun Bun Phorng, the director of the Anti-Human Trafficking and Juvenile Protection Police.
During the Ambassador’s visit to Phnom Penh he also met with representatives from the Ministries of Social Affairs, Interior and Justice regarding the country’s anti-trafficking policies and procedures. During a press conference held at the US Embassy in Phnom Penh on September 1st, Ambassador CdeBaca stated that the recent removal of three pedophiles to stand trial in the U.S. is an example of progress made by Cambodia in the area of trafficking in persons. Ambassador CdeBaca was quoted as saying, “the apprehension and deportation of these three men would not have been possible without the cooperation of the U.S. and Cambodian authorities.” While the Ambassador applauded the removal the pedophiles, he stated that “another party to that crime still remains here in Cambodia, the brothel owners who were selling the children to these pedophiles” and urged the Royal Government to complete the case by investigating such individuals as well. The Ambassador is on the final leg of his trip after visiting Thailand and Malaysia prior to Cambodia.
