Qatar Chairs 10th GCC Labour Undersecretaries’ Committee Meeting

Doha: The State of Qatar chaired today the 10th meeting of the Committee of Undersecretaries of Labour Ministries in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) in Doha, as a preparation for the upcoming meeting of GCC Ministers of Labour, set to take place in Doha next Wednesday. The meeting was chaired by Sheikha Najwa bint Abdulrahman Al-Thani, Assistant Undersecretary for Expatriate Labour Affairs at the Ministry of Labour, and attended by Their Excellencies Undersecretaries of the GCC Ministries of Labour, HE Khaled Ali Bin Salem Al-Senaidi, Assistant Secretary-General for Economic and Development Affairs at the General Secretariat of the GCC, and HE Mohammed bin Hassan Al Obaidli, Director-General of the Executive Bureau ofthe Council of Ministers of Labour and Ministers of Social Affairs in GCC. The Undersecretaries addressed enhancing collaboration in the labour sector, such as the strategy of the Committee of Labour Ministers, international cooperation, the United Nations Business and Human Rights Principle s, and the Gulf Framework for Combating Forced Labour and Human Trafficking in labour. Sheikha Najwa bint Abdulrahman Al Thani, Assistant Undersecretary for Expatriate Labour Affairs at the Ministry of Labour, emphasized the importance of annual meetings of GCC Ministries of Labour Undersecretaries. These meetings allow for sharing experiences, ideas, and developing strategies to enhance cooperation on labour issues within the Gulf countries. Additionally, they aim to streamline initiatives and align the stances of GCC labour ministries in global and regional forums. She emphasized the need to strengthen labour market flexibility to address rapid changes and youth challenges by promoting international labour standards, improving regulatory labour laws, empowering women in the workforce, and creating new labour markets that rely on rapid technological advancement and digital transformation. The Assistant Undersecretary for Expatriate Labour Affairs at the Ministry of Labour emphasized the plight of workers in Palestine, urging governments, organizations, and international labour unions to intensify their actions to end the suffering of workers in Gaza and the occupied Arab territories. This includes addressing the massacres, severe violations, deteriorating economic conditions, as well as the closures and restrictions imposed on them, and advocating for the implementation of all international resolutions to end the occupation. HE Khaled Ali Bin Salem Al-Senaidi. Assistant Secretary-General for Economic and Development Affairs at the GCC Secretariat, praised the valuable efforts exerted by HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, the Chairman of the current session of the GCC Supreme Council, along with their fellow leaders of the GCC countries, for their support towards joint Gulf action. The meeting covered various labour-related topics, including the Supreme Council's decisions and the GCC Labour Ministers Committee's strategic initiatives. Additionally, discussions were held on various other matters, a nd specific directives were issued to guarantee harmony and unity in the labour sector across GCC countries. The meeting concluded with a several recommendations to be presented at the upcoming meeting of the Committee of Their Excellencies the GCC Ministers of Labour on Wednesday. Source: Qatar News Agency