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KUWAIT, Sept 30 (KUNA) -- Minister of Justice Counselor Nasser Al-Sumait stated Tuesday that the US State Department's has upgraded Kuwait's ranking on its Trafficking in Persons 2025 report from Tier 2 Watch List to Tier 2.
"This upgrade reflects a remarkable improvement in Kuwait's performance and tangible efforts it exerted to comply with relevant international standards," Minister Al-Sumait, also chairman of the Permanent National Committee for Combating Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants, said in a statement to KUNA.
He pointed out that Kuwait has recently implemented a series of legislative reforms to address challenges in this dossier, most notably the issuance of a decree-law on foreigners' residence late 2024 tightening penalties for trading in residence permits and criminalizing employers' withholding of workers' financial entitlements.
Kuwait had also introduced institutional reforms including the development of a victim protection system and implemented a national plan to combat human trafficking until 2028, he said.
Al-Sumait said that this annual assessment report places the responsibility on the state to continue reform and develop national measures to enhance the protection of victims and address international observations in this area. (end)
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