Belarusian MFA again attacks US Department of State

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Belarus says the US Department of State tries to "unjustifiably monopolize the evaluation of efforts of nations in this area".

"Although Belarus appreciates efforts of the USA to draw attention to the slave trade, the bias and political considerations involved in the US Department of State’s annual report on slave trade disallow considering the document as trustworthy," Yauheny Lazarau, the Head of the Global Policy and Humanitarian Cooperation Office of the Belarusian Foreign Ministry, said in New York during an  interactive dialogue with Joy Ngozi Ezeilo, United Nations Special Rapporteur on Trafficking in Persons.

Lazarau noted that legal acts meant to provide financial support to non-governmental organisations that help slave trade victims came into force in Belarus. He emphasised that Belarus's measures to counteract slave trade were "systemic and comprehensive".