On 17 November 2021, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs joined a Memorandum of Cooperation on the prevention of human trafficking in the aviation sector. The memorandum has been signed between the Ministry of the Interior, SJSC Riga International Airport, the national airline airBaltic, the Safe House Shelter and the Centre MARTA.
The State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Andris Pelšs, underlined as he signed the memorandum: “I am happy about the Memorandum of Cooperation on the prevention of human trafficking in the aviation sector signed today. Through building closer cooperation between cross-sectoral institutions and non-governmental organisations and coordinating action, we can fight human trafficking with better success.”
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Latvia’s diplomatic and consular missions abroad are actively involved in fighting human trafficking and providing assistance to Latvian nationals. Every year, the Ministry, engaging with cooperation partners, arranges training for Latvian consular officers on helping the victims of human trafficking. The Foreign Ministry also takes part in outreach campaigns to inform the general public of how to recognise recruiters and avoid falling victim to human trafficking.
“I urge every resident of Latvia who has fallen victim to human trafficking in a foreign country to apply immediately to the nearest Latvian mission to receive help and information on what to do next. I also call on everyone to exercise caution and assess critically the situation and potential risks. Nothing is more valuable than your life and health,” Andris Pelšs underlined.
According to information collected by the Ministry of the Interior, 199 victims of human trafficking – 58 foreign nationals and 141 Latvian nationals – were registered and provided with assistance in Latvia from 2014 to 2020. Of these, 93 were exploited in Latvia and 106 – abroad, mainly in Europe. Among the victims, there were 110 women, 89 men, 17 minors and 182 adults. The majority of victims of trafficking – 99 persons – were employed in forced labour, while 49 victims were subjected to sexual exploitation, 45 – forced into sham marriages, 4 – forced into crime, and 2 – kept in servitude.