Discussions underway in Kuwait on lifting Ethiopian maid ban

Paid annual leave, specific working hours to be stipulated in contracts—officials

Amuch-trumpeted agreement to recruit Ethiopian domestic helpers to work in Kuwait ahead of Ramadan has yet to clear several hurdles.

Earlier this month, the Interior Ministry’s Assistant Undersecretary for Citizenship and Passports Affairs Shaikh Mazen Al Sabah said in a statement that Kuwait had lifted the ban on hiring Ethiopian domestic workers after a series of meetings with representatives from the Ethiopian government.

One reason for lifting the ban imposed in 2014 was based on compassionate grounds since the holy month of Ramadan is approaching, “which invariably means more household chores for Kuwaiti families.”

However, Ethiopia’s Ambassador to Kuwait Abdul Aziz Ahmad said that his country had not yet lifted the ban on allowing its citizens to work in Kuwait.

The diplomat said they are still waiting for a response to the letter they presented to the Kuwaiti Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kuwaiti daily Al Rai reported yesterday.

The letter included a draft of the new agreement on the return of Ethiopian workers to Kuwait, he added.

A major item in the new deal is to grant Ethiopian workers a paid annual holiday.

The deal also stipulates that the workers keep their passports with them or at the Ethiopian embassy. The working hours should also be clearly mentioned and the workers should be given salaries that are equal to those received by helpers from other countries, according to the draft.

“The ball is now in the Kuwaiti court and whenever we receive the response to our letter, we will agree on a date for the visit by the Ethiopian minister of labour to sign the agreement to have Ethiopian workers in Kuwait,” Ahmad said.