First Bilateral Agreement on Trafficking
Agreement guarantees rights of child trafficking victims

February 27, 2006 | Tiranë, Albania

On February 27, 2006, the Greek and Albanian governments signed a long-awaited bilateral agreement that will aim to protect and assist Albanian children trafficked in and to Greece, as well as contribute to the prevention of trafficking of children in Albania.

The ceremony, held in Tirana, included the Greek Deputy Foreign Minister, Evripiades Stylianides, and the Albanian Deputy Minister of the Interior for Anti-trafficking, Iva Zajmi. Both made statements about the importance of this agreement and referenced the collaborative efforts underway in both countries to combat the trafficking of children across their mutual border.

The signing of this agreement marks the culmination of a two year process between the Albanian NGO “All Together Against Child Trafficking” (BKTF), the United States Agency for International Development in Albania’s anti-trafficking projects, particularly the Transnational Action against Child Trafficking (TACT) being implemented by Terre des homes (Tdh), their Greek NGO partner, ARSIS, other international donors, and various key ministries in both the Albanian and Greek Governments.

Trafficking of children from Albania to Greece was first identified by anti-trafficking organizations in the late 1990’s. Beginning in 2003, USAID’s co-sponsored TACT II project, has been working with ARSIS, among other NGOs, to identify and protect children at-risk of being trafficked, as well as, identify, protect, return, and reintegrate child victims. 

“NGO’s in both countries have been working together for a few years now, but their role is and should remain complementary to the efforts taken by the respective governments. A formal and integrated understanding, accompanied by agreed procedures between both governments is necessary,” explained Thierry Agagliate, the Tdh head of the TACT project in Albania. “The agreement seeks to ban the current practice of child deportation and other practices that pay little to no attention to his or her rights as a child; or a possible victim of such a grave human rights violation like child trafficking.”

Through this newly signed agreement it is hoped that the rights of child victims of trafficking will finally be translated into concrete obligations and national legislations of both countries. Ultimately, these instruments will help protect children from situations or people who might otherwise put them at risk of being trafficked and exploited.

“The next step is the actual implementation of the agreement. It will undoubtedly be tricky, but it is also critical in addressing and eliminating this very serious issue of abuse and exploitation within Albania and neighboring Greece,” explained USAID’s Anti-Trafficking Advisor, Arian Giantris. “I am hoping the signing and implementation of this agreement will serve as a model for other Balkan bilateral actions against trafficking, as well as an ongoing catalyst for both Greek and Albanian Government support of anti-trafficking initiatives in both countries.”