The United States has removed Cuba and Malaysia from its list of countries that fail to combat human trafficking.
The annual State Department report came a week after Cuba and the US formally restored diplomatic relations.
Previously, the United States had accused Cuba’s communist authorities of forcing people to travel abroad to work on government-backed projects.
The US also removed Malaysia from the list of countries failing to address human trafficking, a decision that human rights groups have criticised.
Cuba was first included on the State Department’s annual trafficking in persons list in 2003.
US Under Secretary of State for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights, Sarah Sewall, said Cuba had made progress in combating sex trafficking.
But concerns remained over the country’s failures to address forced labour, she said.
“The Government of Cuba does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so.”
The 2015 report separates 188 nations into three tiers, based on their efforts to combat human trafficking.
The lowest tier nations, face the threat of diplomatic repercussions at the discretion of the US President, Barack Obama.
Cuba and Malaysia’s ratings were watched closely this year, in light of both nations’ growing economic ties with the US.
