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Maltese minister vows to fight human trafficking

Xinhua, February 18, 2016 Adjust font size:

Malta's Home Affairs Minister Carmelo Abela said the country was committed to fighting human trafficking on Wednesday at a Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA) meeting held here.

Abela highlighted Malta's efforts toward this aim as reflected in the 2015-2016 national action plan. The strategy includes ways to protect victims and providing services in this regard. He noted that in the past months, training was offered to diplomats and consuls, as well as to other stakeholders, particularly concerning human trafficking for the purposes of labor exploitation.

The Maltese authorities also took part in a project led by the Netherlands in collaboration with Slovakia and Luxembourg, which aimed at strengthening multi-disciplinary cooperation and the required approach to address this type of crime. Maltese participants contributed to the drafting of guidelines intended to facilitate the identification process of victims of such crime, said Abela.

He said Malta would continue sustaining anti-trafficking prevention efforts with the input of NGO's. Similarly, the archipelago's authorities will keep monitoring and carrying out inspections of businesses susceptible to sex and labor trafficking.

The GRETA, currently in Malta to review and discuss Maltese structures and institutions involved in the fight against human trafficking, will also be meeting with various government entities and agencies during the forthcoming three days. Endit