The United States announced on Wednesday sanctions on several territories, including Guinea-Bissau, Macau and Equatorial Guinea, for failures in the fight against human trafficking.
The sanctions for non-compliance with the standards of the Human Trafficking Victims Protection Act come into force next year, according to an executive order signed by US President Joe Biden dated September 29.
The U.S. sanctions on these three territories apply to “non-humanitarian and non-trade-related aid,” and in the case of Macau, the U.S. authorities also do not allow funding for participation in educational and cultural exchange programs, unless it promotes the fight against human trafficking or is in the U.S. national interest.
In all cases, it is determined that sanctions will be in force until these governments comply with the minimum standards (…) or make significant efforts,” said the decree, which includes Guinea-Bissau and Equatorial Guinea, member countries of the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries, and Macau, a former territory administered by Portugal.
In the case of Macau, Joe Biden also instructed US officials at development banks and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to “vote against and make every effort to refuse any loan or other use of the funds of the respective institution”.
The determination, however, lists exceptions
On the one hand, when it comes to humanitarian or trade-related aid, as well as development assistance that directly responds to basic human needs, as long as it is not administered or benefited by the Macau government.
On the other hand, when such aid has the potential to promote the fight against human trafficking or is in the national interest of the United States.
There are also reservations about the sanctions applied to Guinea-Bissau and Equatorial Guinea, as long as they benefit the fight against human trafficking or the national interest of the United States, with exceptions being made in programs ranging from military training and training, peacekeeping operations, development aid and health promotion.
Guinea-Bissau, Macau and Equatorial Guinea are on the US ‘blacklist’ as countries with insufficient measures to curb trafficking in persons, standing at level three, in an assessment where level four is the lowest.
The U.S. estimates that about 27 million people worldwide are victims of human trafficking and forced labor, a phenomenon that mainly affects women, people from the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) community, and ethnic and religious minorities.
Source: O Pais