Bahraini-Saudi labour market experiences highlighted

Geneva, June 8 (BNA): Labour and Social Development Minister and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA), Jameel bin Mohammed Ali Humaidan, met here today Saudi Minister of Human Resources and Social Development, Ahmed bin Sulaiman Al-Rajhi, on the sidelines of the 110th Session of the International Labour Conference of the International Labour Organisation (ILO). Minister Humaidan praised the two brotherly countries’ keenness to work as one team, as reflected in their coordinated stances vis-à-vis various international issues. He also discussed with the Saudi minister the main issues raised during the ILO conference, as well as the conference’s outcomes. The two ministers discussed ways to enhance technical cooperation in the fields of work of the two ministries in the two countries so as to ensure that they take optimum advantage of each other’s pioneering experiences, expertise and initiatives. They agreed on the importance of coordinating the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries’ stances at regional and international gatherings in achieving the interests of all GCC states. Humaidan reviewed Bahrain’s experience in regulating the labour market and its efforts in implementing initiatives to employ the citizens and qualify them for the labour market, as well as to integrate them into the private sector, as part of the Economic Recovery Plan, noting that such initiatives have contributed to reducing the unemployment rates and ensuring their stability. The Labour Minister also highlighted the Insurance against Unemployment System and its role in consolidating social security for workers and job-seekers, particularly during the spread of the pandemic. He also shed light on Bahrain’s experience in rotating work permits to support the national workforce and the private sector, in addition to the complementarity among the relevant government departments related to the national labour market. The two officials also discussed the procedures undertaken by the two countries in the field of training and regulation of the recognition of acquired skills, in addition to the professional standards currently applied in both countries. The Saudi minister highlighted his country’s labour market and the main initiatives and projects launched to train the national job seekers and create job opportunities for them, praising the progress witnessed by Bahrain’s labour market. He also commended the kingdom’s experience in ensuring social protection for workers, stressing the importance of enhancing technical cooperation in the labour field between Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, and among brotherly Arab countries.