Zimbabwe added to US State Department’s human trafficking blacklist

Zimbabwe has been added to a United States State Department blacklist of countries trafficking in people. Iran, Syria, Uzbekistan, Laos and Belize are the other inclusions on the department's report. It analyses efforts in about 150 countries to combat trafficking for forced labour, prostitution, military service and other purposes. The six countries join Venezuela, Saudi Arabia, North Korea, Sudan, Cuba and Myanmar on the so-called Tier Three list as the worst offenders, who could face sanctions if they do not take steps within 90 days. News24 quotes US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice as saying an estimated 800-thousand people, primarily women and children, fall victim each year to trafficking.