‘Qatar Labour Reforms Are Valued, World Cup Is Source Of Pride’
ALO Director-General praises the protection Qatar provided to everyone living in it, including workers, during the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic worldwide and distributing vaccines to everyone without discrimination
DIRECTOR-GENERAL of the Arab Labor Organization (ALO) Fayez Ali Al Mutairi has stressed that Qatar is one of the main partners of the organization and one of its supporters, along with other Arab countries.
In an exclusive interview with Qatar News Agency (QNA), Al Mutairi valued the major reforms made by Qatar regarding the labour sector and labour environment as workers benefited from them, according to many.
In a related context, he praised the protection Qatar provided to everyone living in it, including workers, during the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic worldwide and distributing vaccines to everyone without discrimination.
He stressed the huge and remarkable success achieved by the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, which Qatar hosted recently, saying that it reflects the ability of Arab and Islamic countries to host such mega events and represents a source of pride for all Arab countries and people without exception.
Al Mutairi said that he congratulates HH the Amir, the government, and the people of Qatar on this huge and distinguished success that was achieved on Arabian soil. With persistence and determination while preserving Arab religious values and authentic traditions, the State of Qatar successfully passed all the challenges over the past few years in its journey to host the World Cup.
Al Mutairi noted that Qatar received world acclaim during its hosting of the World Cup and achieved significant gains for all Arab countries, as the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 proved that Qatar is capable of hosting mega events and occasions.
He indicated that Qatar granted workers, as well as all visitors and football fans, everything they needed for a whole month. No complaints were received, and no one got hurt, which shows Qatar’s keenness for the safety and security of everyone, especially during that global football event.
Al Mutairi recalled a report he wrote and submitted to International
Labor Organization (ILO) praising Qatar’s interest in all workers in 201 when he visited workers’ accommodations in Qatar.The Director-General of the ALO valued Qatar’s effective role in the ILO and its continuous support for Arab issues, as Qatar is the Arab group’s coordinator at the ILO and seeks to unify their stances in international labor issues of common interest.
He stressed the distinguished role of Qatari women in the field of public work and the business sector and their assumption of various leadership positions. His Excellency noted that the ALO is participating in the 2nd meeting of the Council of Arab Ministers of Social Affairs chaired by HE Minister of Social Development and Family Maryam bint Ali bin Nasser Al Misnad.
Al Mutairi highlighted the role of digitization to find a job mechanism, how to prepare for it, and everything that matters to the development of Arab countries, especially with regard to providing job opportunities for young people in the Arab world.
The ALO Director-General revealed that the unemployment level in the Arab world exceeded millions, exceeding 20 percent, pointing to that the Arab world needs millions of job opportunities, especially after the Covid-19 negative repercussions, which disrupted the economy and jobs, which confirms the need of many developed and developing countries to benefit from entrepreneurship and small projects and to reduce the burden on Arab governments.
ALO launched a biennial strategy on employment, as well as several reports on employment and unemployment in the Arab world, and how to benefit from the seas surrounding the Arab world, as well as from agricultural facilities, many farms and green areas in the Arab regions, His Excellency said.
Al Mutairi highlighted the need to support small projects and productive families while benefiting in this context through the exchange of expertise among the Arab countries.
Regarding the role of education in reducing unemployment and labor challenges in the Arab region, His Excellency stressed the need for education outputs to always comply with the requirements of labor markets, noting that life conditions have evolved and that the Covid-19 pandemic imposed many related challenges, including performing work and tasks remotely, which forced people to use technology and digitization.
Therefore, all parties must unite to search for the outputs of education, and what the labor market requires, in addition to research about new jobs for the future, Al Mutairi said.
He said that the standards of good and fair work differ from one country to another, in contrast to the speed of the difference in the work itself, indicating that most of the work is currently being done remotely, and stressing the need to develop a law for remote work. Labor laws and agreements in light of all these circumstances need to change, Al Mutairi said, pointing out that this role is not limited to the ALO alone, but rather it is a partnership between the three work parties, including governments, employers, and workers.
Al Mutairi stressed the importance of social dialogue among the three working parties, to bring their points of view closer to achieve what the Arab world and the parties themselves need through this dialogue, expressing his optimism about the future of these conditions, amid the political and economic transformations that the world is currently witnessing. The conditions of workers in the Arab world are better compared to global markets, His Excellency added.
The ALO is very interested in training workers and raising their competence and skills to face work challenges, His Excellency said, highlighting the ALO-related specialized centers in many Arab capitals, including in Khartoum which deals with social security, Tunisia which deals with work affairs, Algeria dealing with labor education, Damascus dealing with occupational health and safety, and in Libya which is concerned with training and entrepreneurship.
He also highlighted the mutual representation between the ALO and the International Labour Organization (ILO), with one being an observer member of the other.
The ALO is working to establish the Arab Network for Labor Markets, which was approved by the Arab Economic Summit in Kuwait in 2009, to achieve linkage between Arab countries, which allows the distribution of job opportunities in the Arab world, he added, stressing the need to focus on social dialogue between the three working parties, as the safety valve for any Arab country.