Angola: Over 40 Cases of Human Trafficking Reported

Luanda — Angola reported more than 40 cases of trafficking in human beings, which mainly targeted children, since 2014.

The data were released Tuesday by State Secretary for Human Rights and Citizinship, Ana Celeste Cardoso Januário.

The official said she believed there may exist more cases of trafficking.

Speaking to the press on the sidelines of the data collection training on trafficking in human beings, the official added that investigations are in progress.

The training is jointly sponsored by the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights, and UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), under the integrated system of the Southern African Development Community (SADC).

The Secretary of State also clarified that all the cases are being investigated.

According to her, five of which have been tried, including one involving an Asian citizens, who has been repatriated in connection with the crime.

The cases include those of children from the Democratic Republic of Congo, whose priority is to return to their respective countries or to place them in Angola, in surrogate families or in shelters.

In view of this situation, she said, the State has launched campaigns to raise the awareness of citizens in order to denounce such actions.

The State Secretary warns that traffic can be internal (people being taken from one province to another) or external (foreigners exploited in Angola).

Ana Cardoso Januário reiterated the government commitment to improve mechanisms for cooperation and fight against trafficking in human beings in SADC) region.