Africa-Press – Mozambique. Sixteen Mozambican nationals trafficked to Laos and forced to work in slave-like conditions have been rescued and returned to their country, the UN’s migration body said Friday.
The two women and 14 men were recruited with false promises of salaries of more than 100,000 meticais ($1,565), said the International Organization for Migration (IOM) which helped get them home.
Instead they were forced into difficult jobs in coal mines or cutting bamboo in remote areas, and their passports were confiscated, it said.
“While many never received any wages, those who were paid earned only a fraction of what they had been promised,” the IOM said on its website (full IOM text below).
Some had been stranded since mid-2024 and others since early 2025.
The Mozambique government said it was working with the IOM and Laos authorities to trace seven other Mozambicans it believed were in similar conditions of forced labour in the southeast Asian country.
While Mozambique is rich in natural resources, most of its people are poor and underemployed, leading many to seek work outside of the southern African country.
16 Mozambicans trafficked to Southeast Asia are now safely home.
With Govts of 🇲🇿 & Lao PDR, IOM facilitated their return & immediate protection. Together, we must prevent trafficking & expand safe migration pathways.
Maputo, 29 August 2025 – Sixteen Mozambican citizens who had been trafficked under false promises of employment to the Lao People’s Democratic Republic returned safely to Mozambique this week. Their return was made possible through the coordinated efforts of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the Governments of Mozambique and the Government of Lao People’s Democratic Republic.
The group – two women and fourteen men originally from Sofala Province – had travelled abroad in search of work, encouraged by recruiters who promised contracts with salaries of more than 100,000 meticais. Instead, they found themselves trapped in exploitative situations. Some had been stranded since mid-2024, others since early 2025. With their passports confiscated, debts imposed without consent, and little or no pay, leaving was not an option. They were forced to endure difficult conditions: some in coal mines, others cutting bamboo in remote areas. While many never received any wages, those who were paid earned only a fraction of what they had been promised. Unable to return home on their own, they remained isolated and at risk until collaborative efforts from IOM and authorities secured their identification, release and return.
IOM supported the victims by facilitating their travel back to Mozambique and ensuring immediate protection upon arrival. This included temporary accommodation, food assistance, and onward transportation to their communities of origin.
“Trafficking in persons often takes hold in times of vulnerability and economic hardship, when opportunities are limited.” said Laura Tomm-Bonde, IOM Mozambique Chief of Mission. “To prevent trafficking in persons and other forms of exploitation during migration journeys, we need to make sure people can move safely, orderly and regularly, and that countries work together to strengthen the international cooperation on migration across borders. By doing so, we can transform risky migration routes into safe pathways.”
The Government of Mozambique, through its national institutions, worked closely with IOM to coordinate the return process. The operation also involved close collaboration with authorities in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, highlighting the importance of international cooperation to combat trafficking in persons networks that span borders.
This operation reinforces Mozambique’s commitment to international frameworks such as the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration, particularly Objective 10, which calls for the prevention, combat, and eradication of trafficking in persons in the context of migration. It is also aligned with Mozambique’s National Action Plan on Combatting Trafficking in Persons, which provides a roadmap for prevention, protection, and prosecution.
Mozambique’s experience with trafficking is shaped by both historical and contemporary factors. A history of colonial exploitation, civil conflict, and state-building challenges has intersected with present-day socio-economic inequalities. These conditions create vulnerabilities that trafficking networks exploit, particularly among individuals seeking work opportunities abroad. In many provinces, communities facing limited economic options are often targeted by unregulated private employment agencies, which may appear legitimate, often engage in unethical recruitment practices that exploit migrants through deception, coercion, and manipulation, resulting in serious human rights violations.
The complexity of trafficking in Mozambique is therefore not only a matter of law enforcement, but also of addressing the socio-economic drivers that compel people to migrate under unsafe conditions.
“This return is not the end of a story, but the beginning of renewed commitment. Mozambique cannot allow its citizens to be trapped in false promises abroad. Our priority is to strengthen prevention at the community level, ensure that survivors are protected and supported, and work with other governments and partners to dismantle the networks that profit from trafficking in persons. This case demonstrates that coordinated action saves lives, and it challenges us to go further in turning our policies into action,” says Maria Fatima Manso, Mozambique’s Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.
While the safe return of these sixteen victims is an important step, it also underscores the urgency of sustained action. Strengthening awareness campaigns in communities of origin, expanding safe and regular migration pathways, and reinforcing regional cooperation will be critical to preventing similar cases in the future.
IOM, together with government institutions, partners and communities continues to work on initiatives that build resilience against trafficking in persons. These include capacity-building for border officials, legal and psychosocial support for survivors, and programmes aimed at expanding resilience and livelihood opportunities for young people.
The return of these Mozambicans is a reminder that trafficking in persons is a global crime requiring collective solutions. Each safe and voluntary return is the result of coordination across borders, and each survivor represents not only a story of exploitation but also of resilience. By combining protection with broader development and governance measures, Mozambique and its partners can move closer to dismantling trafficking networks and creating safer futures for those who aspire to migrate in search of opportunity.
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