AS DELIVERED

The United States is pleased to co-sponsor this resolution and thanks Belarus for its chairmanship. We are committed to working with international organizations, member states, civil society, and the private sector to promote greater coordination of efforts in eradicating human trafficking in all its forms.

As Ambassador Nikki Haley has said, “Standing up to modern slavery and forced labor is a core element of foreign policy. It demonstrates our unwavering commitment to human rights and the fact that everyone, regardless of where they come from, has the right to ‘life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness’… We need to give everyone who is trapped the chance to live their lives and live up to their potential. The United States is determined to join with other Member States to make these efforts successful.”

We are pleased that there will be a principals’ meeting to strengthen the work of the Inter-Agency Coordination Group Against Trafficking in Persons. To this end, we urge UNODC, as the convener, to collaborate closely with the other agencies to ensure high-level participation at the Principals’ meeting. The United States looks forward to hearing about the outcome of the meeting.