CBSS Trains Latvian Consular Staff on Human Trafficking Aid 

On 7 February 2024, the CBSS conducted a training session for the consular staff at Latvian diplomatic missions abroad and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Latvia to assist and protect victims of human trafficking. 

“It was useful to learn from the recommendations of the Council of the Baltic Sea States on how to assist and help potential victims of human trafficking,” said Ms Dace Veidmane-Pundure, a Counsellor of the Consular Assistance Division at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Latvia. 

Attended by nearly 60 consular staff, the training session offered insights into the nature of human trafficking and how Latvian staff and case-handlers at diplomatic missions and embassies abroad could identify potential victims and respond to suspected trafficking situations. 

“Staff and case handlers in migration and consular sections of embassies can play an important role by detecting indicators of human trafficking, for example during visa application procedures,” said Edi Mujaj, the Senior Adviser on human trafficking at the CBSS who led the training. 

Latvia remains a longstanding partner in the fight against human trafficking in the Baltic Sea Region and beyond, actively training frontline workers and relevant authorities, and supporting regional initiatives such as the CBSS Transnational Referral Mechanism to aid victims. 

The CBSS recently updated its Handbook for Embassies and Diplomatic Missions on How to Assist and Protect Victims of Human Trafficking, which served as the foundation for the training session.