UNAFRI and Human Trafficking Institute Explore Strengthened Cooperation to Combat Human Trafficking

Representatives of UNAFRI and the Human Trafficking Institute following their meeting to explore collaboration on training, knowledge exchange and evidence-based responses to human trafficking. (UNAFRI Secretariat, Naguru)

On 12 November 2026, the United Nations African Institute for the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders (UNAFRI) held a productive meeting with Ms Gabby Massey, Country Director of the Human Trafficking Institute (HTI), to explore opportunities for strengthened cooperation in combating human trafficking across Africa.

Ms Gabby Massey and Mr Munanura Andrew Karokora review the report on the human trafficking training UNAFRI.

The engagement was led by UNAFRI’s Acting Director General, Mr Munanura Andrew Karokora. Discussions reflected the two institutions’ shared interest in supporting more coordinated, informed and effective responses to human trafficking.

Among the principal areas considered were the organisation of joint regional training programmes, the formalisation of institutional partnerships and the exchange of knowledge and experience. The meeting also highlighted the importance of strengthening data systems to support evidence-based policies and interventions against human trafficking.

Ms Gabby Massey, Country Director of the Human Trafficking Institute, and Mr Munanura Andrew Karokora, UNAFRI Acting Director General, display institutional publications following their meeting at UNAFRI Secretariat.

The discussions built on existing cooperation between UNAFRI and HTI.  Ms Massey facilitated a session on investigating and prosecuting human trafficking cases during UNAFRI’s five-day capacity building training on Human Trafficking for the Uganda Police Force, held from 3rd to 7th August 2026. She guided participants through the elements of trafficking in persons and the smuggling of migrants and explained how they inform investigations. Her contribution demonstrated the practical value of the training and knowledge exchange considered during the meeting.

Human trafficking remains a complex transnational crime that requires sustained cooperation among governments, criminal justice institutions, civil society organisations and development partners. Partnerships that connect research, training, data and practice are therefore essential to strengthening prevention and improving justice responses across the continent.

Through strategic partnerships and regional cooperation, UNAFRI continues to advance collective efforts to prevent crime, combat human trafficking and strengthen justice systems across Africa.