27 November 2019, Abu Dhabi - Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs (OUMWA) Sarah Lou Y. Arriola met with Khalid Abdullah Humaid Belhoul, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MoFAIC) of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) at the MoFAIC headquarters in Abu Dhabi on 27 November 2019 to discuss bilateral issues, particularly on the topics of migration and human trafficking.

Undersecretary Belhoul welcomed the visit noting that it provides an excelllent opportunity for the two countries to move forward with the PH-UAE Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in Combatting Human Trafficking signed on 19 September 2019 in New York.

Usec Arriola expressed PH support for UAE hosting of the Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD) in 2020.  She also said that both PH and UAE would benefit from closely working together in putting a stop to illegal recruiters and human traffickers who promise jobs to Filipinos, mostly females, who come to UAE on tourist visas. 

On his part, Undersecretary Belhoul welcomed the consultations and took note of PH initiatives, noting that the Philippines and UAE should maximize the benefit from existing bilateral arrangements by activating them through practical measures.

Undersecretary Arriola was accompanied by Philippine Ambassador to the UAE, Hjayceelyn M. Quintana, during the meeting.  Amb. Quintana shared the Embassy initiative that encourages trafficking victims to file cases against illegal recruiters, through the Interagency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT), upon their repatriation.

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