Malawi, Mozambique discuss trafficking, others
Malawi and Mozambique yesterday opened their 15th Session of the Malawi-Mozambique Joint Permanent Commission on Defence and Security with focus on terrorism, human trafficking and illegal trade.
Ministry of Defence Principal Secretary Erica Maganga said the objective of the meeting being held in Blantyre is to enable the two nations discuss how best they can deal with the issues that border on defense and security.
She said: “By coming together, we want to share our expertise and critical issues that should bring peace to our countries.
“There are several issues that happen between our people along the border; issues of human trafficking, issues of illegal trade and many other issues that happen along the borders.”
Maganga said at the end of the three-day session, security agents of the two countries will have had an opportunity to discuss issues that were not resolved at the previous meeting that took place last year in Mozambique.
Terrorists linked to Al Shabab have killed hundreds of people in the Cabo Delgado province in Mozambique and displaced thousands of others since 2017. The rebels had also captured the key port town of Mocimboa da Praia in that country.
A June 2021 State Department Trafficking in Persons (TIP) show that Malawi remains a hotspot for human trafficking with cases sharply increasing from 147 in 2019 to 688 in 2020.
The report said Malawian victims of sex and labour trafficking were identified in Mozambique, South Africa, Zambia, Kenya and Tanzania as well as in Iraq, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.
The victims, especially girls, are recruited for domestic service and some exploited for sex work. On the other hand, men and young boys are generally transported from the Southern Region to the Central and Northern regions for forced labour in estates, goat and cattle herding and brickmaking.
On trade, Malawi is among top five developing countries with the largest value gaps in its total trade, losing an average of 28.5 percent of its total trade value annually to illicit financial flows.
Based on the findings, this means that for every K100 generated from trade, the country loses K28.50 to illegal movements of money and assets across borders, leaving the country with K71.50.
In an interview yesterday, Mozambique’s Ministry of National Defence Principal Secretary Casimiro Augusto Mueio said although terrorism acts have been on the decline in his country, there are still some incidences which they hope can be stopped with the help of Malawi Defence Force soldiers and others form the Southern African Development Community (Sadc).
He said: “We have immigration problems, illegal trade, issues of terrorism and human trafficking. Terrorism started some years ago and we do congratulate Malawian people and Sadc because they came to help our country to overcome these problems.”
Last year, Sadc Extraordinary Summit approved a framework for support to Mozambique in addressing terrorism. The plan, among other things, sought to provide humanitarian support to the affected population and uplift their living standards.
The meeting, which is scheduled to end tomorrow, will, among others, consider and adopt minutes of the 14th session of the commission and present country briefs.
The session is being attended by security agents in defence, police, and immigration.
