Bishkek, Jan.27, 2025. /Kabar/. Minister of Labor, Social Security and Migration of Kyrgyzstan Ravshanbek Sabirov held a meeting with U.S. Ambassador to Kyrgyzstan Leslie Viguerie.
At the meeting, the parties discussed bilateral cooperation in combating human trafficking.
Ambassador Leslie Viguerie informed about the progress of preparation of the report on human trafficking for 2025. In accordance with the US law “On Protection of Victims of Trafficking in Persons” (adopted in 2000), a report on this issue is prepared annually. The ambassador expressed interest in seeing the ministry's efforts reflected to maintain a high ranking on the list of states.
“This is not a matter of being demanding, but of closer cooperation,” he noted.
Ravshanbek Sabirov noted the high importance for the Kyrgyz Republic of the strategic partnership with the United States. In particular, he emphasized the success of repatriation projects of Kyrgyz citizens from Syria.
“With the help of the U.S. government, six stages of repatriation were carried out in 2023-2024, as a result of which 454 citizens of the Kyrgyz Republic, including 141 women and 313 children, returned home,” Sabirov emphasized.
The sides further discussed reintegration issues. “We are very interested in the fate of repatriated children. Since they had practically no childhood as such during their life in the refugee tents,” said the US ambassador.
The Kyrgyz minister informed about the interagency plan for the reintegration of repatriated children. According to the plan, the responsible ministries fulfill their roles at each stage, starting with the medical examination of repatriated children, up to the social adaptation of each child in school.
At the end of the meeting, Ambassador Viguerie expressed readiness to provide all possible support in the areas of cooperation.