Qatar Chairs 10th GCC Labour Ministers Committee Meeting

Doha: The GCC Labour Ministers Committee held its 10th meeting in Doha under the chairmanship of HE Minister of Labour Dr. Ali bin Samikh Al Marri and in the presence of HE Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi, with the participation of all member states. Their Excellencies the Ministers explored ways to enhance collaboration in the Gulf labour market, learn from the successful practices of GCC countries, and discuss various issues of common interest to the GCC countries. In his speech during the meeting, HE Dr. Ali bin Samikh Al Marri highlighted the impact of the unique circumstances in the Arab region on labour markets, employment, occupational safety, and health, as well as the influence of the digital revolution on the workforce. He also focused on challenges such as forced labour, human trafficking, and child labour. He emphasized the importance of implementing policies to enhance social protection programs and preserve workers' rights in the private sector. Additionally, he underlined the need to update laws to make the job market more efficient and appealing to both national and international talent. His Excellency added that Arab Gulf countries have similar labour laws, wage protection, and occupational safety, which helps to ensure the success of effective decisions and initiatives. He said that the GCC countries require legislative updates in response to quick labour market shifts. He highlighted the GCC's focus on promoting sustainability and environmental preservation in workplaces through recycling and renewable energy use to mitigate climate change impacts and protect the environment. His Excellency conveyed his optimism that the tenth GCC Labour Ministers Committee meeting would lead to important decisions and recommendations aimed at increasing job opportunities for nationals in the private sector, ensuring decent work conditions, and achieving a balanced approach that protects workers' rights while fostering stable and equitable labour markets. In turn, HE Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi noted that the directives of Their Majesties and Highnesses, leaders of the GCC countries, had a significant impact in advancing the track to achieve the desired goals, which culminated in the GCC countries achieving great successes in various economic, social, and political fields over the past years. In this context, he pointed to the remarkable progress of the GCC countries in the Global Competitiveness Index for the year 2023, as well as in the Youth Progress Index. His Excellency said that the GCC countries are among the top 30 countries out of 150 countries covered by this index, and other international indicators that confirm the success of the strategic solutions and initiatives adopted by the GCC countries within their visions and development plans, which requires strengthening these gains and building on them, guided by the directives of Their Majesties and Highnesses, the leaders of the GCC countries. He pointed out that the youth of working age in the GCC countrie s represent 24.6 percent of the total population, with more than 13 million young men and women, which is a huge human energy that must be invested correctly to advance the process of development and sustainability in the GCC countries by providing all the capabilities and educational and training programs to enable them to assume their great responsibilities in the future, the most important of which is joining the world of work and participating in building and developing their countries and societies. In this context, His Excellency stressed the role of the Labour Ministers Committee in research and study to reach the adoption of the best programs that provide decent job opportunities for job seekers and provide them with the skills and competencies that qualify them to obtain decent jobs and make them the preferred choice for employers in the private sector compared to expatriate workers. He praised the efforts of the GCC countries to protect and preserve the interests of expatriate workers, taking into account national laws and regulations in line with international laws and regulations, especially those approved by the International Labour Organization. The meeting discussed various topics that would enhance joint Gulf action in the labour market, including benefiting from the successful experiences and expertise of the GCC states and several issues of common interest, especially nationalization efforts and the harmonization of labour laws. The key topics that the meeting also addressed were the Gulf framework for combating human trafficking and forced labour, as well as legislation related to women's employment and maternity leave across the GCC. They also discussed the Supreme Council's resolutions regarding the inclusion of GCC citizens in nationalization quotas within the region. The meeting further addressed shared concerns in the workforce sector, focusing on enhancing cooperation among GCC countries, improving labour markets and talent development, and considering updates to GCC labour laws, the green economy, and the future of employment in the region. Over four days, the State of Qatar hosted the GCC Ministerial Meetings on Civil Service, Labour, and Social Affairs/Social Development. Last night, on the sidelines of the meetings, Doha witnessed a ceremony honoring a distinguished elite of administrative competencies, personalities, institutions, and leading companies in the fields of labour and social development in the GCC countries. Source: Qatar News Agency