President Obama Issues Waiver on Human Trafficking Sanctions for Lebanon

U.S. President Barack Obama granted Lebanon a waiver to allow the continuation of U.S. assistance to Lebanon, which was at risk of being blocked due to Lebanon’s Tier Three ranking in the 2011 Trafficking in Persons Report, said the U.S. Embassy in a statement on Tuesday.

U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Maura Connelly informed Prime Minister Najib Miqati of Obama’s decision on October 4.

“The United States appreciates the seriousness with which the Lebanese government and civil society have addressed issues related to combating trafficking in persons,” it added.

“Connelly welcomed the initial steps taken by the government and pledged to continue collaboration on protecting victims of trafficking, prosecuting perpetrators, and preventing the spread of trafficking,” it stated.

The Obama administration has placed the Lebanese government on a blacklist for not fully complying with the minimum standards for the elimination of human trafficking and not making significant efforts to do so.

In June and in its annual Trafficking in Persons report, the U.S. State Department identified 23 nations as failing to meet minimum international standards to curb the scourge, which claims mainly women and children as victims.

The 11 new countries on the blacklist or the so-called Tier Three were Lebanon, Algeria, the Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Libya, Madagascar, Micronesia, Turkmenistan, Venezuela and Yemen.

Governments of countries on the Tier Three may be subject to certain sanctions, whereby the U.S. government may withhold or withdraw non-humanitarian, non-trade-related foreign assistance.

In addition, countries on Tier Three may not receive funding for government employees’ participation in educational and cultural exchange programs.

Another 41 countries were placed on a watch list that could lead to sanctions unless their records improve.

The report analyzed conditions in 184 nations, including the United States, and ranked them in terms of their effectiveness in fighting what many have termed modern-day slavery.

The State Department estimates that as many as 27 million men, women and children are living in such bondage around the world.