Ambassador Michel Veuthey, accompanied by his Advisor, Emanuele Piluso, met on Tuesday, 12 May at the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development in Vatican City to discuss the issue of human trafficking. The primary objective of the meeting was to establish contact with Father Paolo Parise, C.S., recently appointed as the Dicastery’s focal point for human trafficking, and to explore potential avenues for future collaboration.

The Dicastery was represented by Father Paolo Parise, Ms. Pascale Debbane, and Mr. Gabriele Verga. His Eminence Cardinal Michael Czerny, S.J., Prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, also briefly joined the meeting.

During the discussions, the Dicastery reaffirmed its strong commitment to combating human trafficking in all its forms. It expressed its full support for the Ambassador’s initiatives in this field, underscoring its readiness to collaborate through sponsorship and active engagement.

The Dicastery also highlighted its capacity to facilitate action at the local level by providing key contacts and networks, with a view to strengthening operational effectiveness, particularly through coordination with actors working directly in affected regions.

Ambassador Veuthey drew attention to two noteworthy initiatives: Bakhita House in Lagos, led by Sister Patricia Ebegbulem of the Sisters of Saint Louis, and the work carried out by Sister Franca of the Good Shepherd.

The meeting concluded with a shared commitment to developing concrete forms of cooperation, including advocacy and training, building on the Dicastery’s institutional role and its established presence in relevant local contexts.