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Riyadh: The first meeting between key officials of Saudi Arabia and Yemen was held by Unicef to tackle the trafficking of thousands of Yemeni children to the kingdom. Every year thousands of children get caught in the international trafficking network that condemns them to street selling and begging. Among the 25 participants were officials from ministries of Social Affairs, Interior, Defence, Foreign Affairs, national councils and commissions for children, social organisations, academic institutions and Unicef, which had representatives from the Regional Office for the Middle East and North Africa, Yemen country office and the Gulf Area Office in Riyadh.
The head of the Yemeni delegation, Staff Brigadier General Kasem Al Falah, said, "This meeting reflects the concern and the commitment of the senior officials of the two countries to tackle child trafficking as a strategic matter affecting all of society".
Officials estimate that about 24,000 children are involved in street selling and begging in Saudi Arabia from 18 countries. Participants agreed on the need to enhance co-operation, increase action-oriented research and intervention; develop national strategic plans to counter child trafficking, support the role of civil society organisations; strengthen legal measures against trafficking, and to request the technical support of international organisations including Unicef. Criticism: Nayef lashes out at US allegation Interior Minister Prince Nayef Bin Abdul Aziz blasted the US allegation regarding Saudi Arabia's involvement in human trafficking. "This is ridiculous. Is there anybody trading with children here?" he said while speaking to reporters here on Wednesday at a graduation ceremony at Riyadh-based Prince Nayef Arab University for Security Sciences.
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