The government's prosecution and conviction of trafficking offenders under its anti-trafficking legislation demonstrated an increased commitment to combating trafficking during the reporting period.

Although the government has not yet enacted necessary anti-trafficking legislation, during the reporting period it reaffirmed its commitment to this goal over the next year.

But attempts over the last two years to pass anti-trafficking legislation in New York ended in failure.

Also for a second year, the Malawi Law Commission did not complete drafting comprehensive anti-trafficking legislation specifically outlawing all forms of human trafficking.

President Kikwete's personal commitment to combat trafficking accelerated the drafting of anti-trafficking legislation and law enforcement training.

R.A. 9208 made the Philippines one of the few Asian countries in Asia that have enacted an anti-trafficking legislation.

This assessment is based in part on the government's commitment to undertake additional action over the coming year, particularly enforcement of its newly-enacted comprehensive anti-trafficking legislation.

Thailand passed new comprehensive anti-trafficking legislation in November 2007, which the Thai government reported would go into force in June 2008.

Fortunately, too, this year's quest for comprehensive anti-trafficking legislation need not start from scratch.

The lack of clear anti-trafficking legislation impeded law enforcement efforts: a draft law prohibiting human trafficking written in 2007 remained pending.