Ghobash: Cooperation key to improve contractual cycle management

Dubai, Jan 26, 2012 (WAM) - Minister of Labour of the UAE Saqr Ghobash said the interest of labour-sending countries and labour-receiving countries in promoting cooperation among them is increasing to maximize the benefits of the movement of contractual labour in the region. In opening remarks Tuesday at a meeting of senior officials at labour ministries of 21 Asian countries ahead of the Ministerial Consultations on Overseas Employment and Contractual Labour for Countries of Origin and Destination in Asia (Abu Dhabi Dialogue) today in Dubai, Ghobash added that the first such ministerial meeting in Abu Dhabi reiterated, in the declaration, that regional cooperation is the key to improve the management of the contractual cycle and achieve the common goals of both labour-sending and labour-receiving countries. Twenty two top labour officials gathered in Dubai today to examine the technical report on managing of entire cycle of temporary contractual work, identify best practices in that respect and recommend a collaborative framework between the labour-sending countries and labour-receiving countries which will be submitted to the upcoming ministerial meeting in Philippines next April for approval. Organised by the UAE Ministry of Labour, the meeting discussed issues related to the four stages of cycle of temporary contractual work beginning from recruiting, preparing and contracting workers in the 11 Asian labour-sending countries (countries of origin: Afghanistan; Bangladesh; China; India; Indonesia; Nepal; Pakistan; Philippines; Sri Lanka; Thailand; and Vietnam) through work and residence in the eight labour-receiving countries (countries of destination: Bahrain; Kuwait; Malaysia; Oman; Qatar; Saudi Arabia; Singapore; United Arab Emirates; and Yemen) and ending up with the return and finally reintegration of workers in their countries of origin.