Dundo — The authorities of Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) are meeting this Thursday in Dundo City, north-eastern Lunda Norte Province, to define joint actions to strengthen the fight against trafficking in human beings in both countries.

At the opening of the cross-border forum, promoted by the Ministry of Justice, in partnership with the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the secretary of State for Human Rights and Citizenship, Ana Celeste Januário, said that the meeting will analyze legislation, levels of action, the database and establishing joint work between the two countries, with a view to combating the phenomenon.

The state Secretary said that the activity is part of the implementation plan of the national human rights strategy, to combat trafficking in human beings and the Angola and IOM joint project, financed by the North American Government.

She also made it known that the implementation plan of the national strategy aims at prevention, empowerment of different players, protection of victims, preservation of the dignity of those who for various reasons found themselves in contact with the crime of trafficking, prosecution and accountability of perpetrators.

Ana Celeste Januario reiterated that since 2014, when the Angolan State began working on the issue of human trafficking, 142 cases were registered, involving victims and perpetrators from both countries (Angola and DRC).

Without revealing numbers, she informed that there are victims from Angola and from the DRC who are waiting for the process of family reunification.

On her turn, the ambassador of the DRC to Angola, Kalala Mayiba Constantin, defended the need to reinforce inspections along the borders between the two countries and sharing of information on trafficking in human beings and illegal immigration, to allow joint work in combating the phenomena.

He defended major co-operation among the institutions that deal with the phenomenon in both countries.