52nd Arab Labour Conference Begins with Kuwaiti Participation

Cairo, September 13 (KUNA) -- The 52nd session of the Arab Labour Conference, organized by the Arab Labour Organization, kicked off today, Sunday, with the participation of labour ministers, heads of delegations, and representatives of employers and workers from 21 Arab countries, including Kuwait, alongside representatives of Arab, regional, and international organizations and unions.

The Kuwaiti delegation to the conference is headed by Rabab Al-Asimi, Director General of the Public Authority for Manpower, and includes Faiq Al-Azmi, President of the General Federation of Kuwaiti Workers, and Firas Al-Adwan, Deputy Director General of the Kuwait Chamber of Commerce and Industry, along with officials from the three entities.

In his speech during the opening session, Egyptian Minister of Labour Hassan Radad, who chairs the board of directors of the Arab Labour Organization, said that the past two board sessions featured in-depth discussions on several key issues, including reports on financial and administrative matters, the financial oversight authority’s reports, and the outcomes of the work of legal experts’ committees, trade union freedoms, and women’s employment affairs.

Radad added that the board also discussed resolutions from the 116th and 117th sessions of the Economic and Social Council concerning the Arab Labour Organization, including the inclusion of two topics proposed by the organization for the upcoming Arab Summit: the Arab Entrepreneurship Strategy and a declaration of principles on enhancing economic diversification and transitioning toward promising economies.

He noted that the board reviewed a report on the repercussions of the unjust Iranian war on the Arab region and its impact on the Arab Labour Organization, in accordance with the board’s decision regarding this report. He clarified that the organization has prepared numerous in-depth studies and specialized seminars on this subject, addressing the role of social dialogue in mitigating the impacts of regional war on the Arab region, as well as occupational safety and health.

The studies and seminars also covered psychological and social support for workers in vital sectors during crises, institutional responses to the repercussions of regional war in the Arab region, the impact of disrupted regional supply chains on Arab economies, and the effects of the ongoing regional war on Arab labour markets.

Radad emphasized that the Palestinian issue remains a top priority. The board of directors of the Arab Labour Organization thoroughly discussed the tragic conditions of Palestinian workers and people in the occupied territories, strongly condemned the blatant violations by the occupation, and firmly opposed attempts to displace the Palestinian people from their land. He reaffirmed support for their resilience and stressed the necessity of rebuilding Gaza and providing decent livelihoods for its people.

For his part, Jordanian Minister of Labour Nidal Al-Qutami, who chairs the conference, said in his speech that today’s meeting underscores Arab countries’ belief that dialogue, cooperation, and integration among the three production parties is the optimal path to confront the challenges facing the region.

Al-Qutami added that the Arab Labour Conference represents a manifestation of constructive dialogue among production parties, enabling the achievement of actionable visions and recommendations that place the working human at the heart of development, balancing growth requirements with workers’ rights and employers’ interests.

He noted that the conference agenda includes two important technical topics: the first is climate change and its impacts on the work environment, and the economic and social effects on workers and production parties; the second is start-ups and their opportunities amid digital transformation, as a lever for diversifying income sources, combating youth unemployment, and creating innovation-based jobs that support sustainable economic growth.

The conference, which runs until September 20, will discuss several key files related to the future of work and development in the Arab region, foremost among them sustainable economic growth and comprehensive, equitable social development. It will also address climate change and its impacts on the work environment, ways to enhance occupational safety and health, and the capacity to adapt to climate risks, as well as start-ups and their promising opportunities under digital transformation, which opens new horizons for entrepreneurship and job creation.

The conference will also address skills development and alignment with labour market needs, promoting employment and combating unemployment, thereby supporting the development of Arab labour policies better equipped to keep pace with economic, technological, and social transformations. (End) A.S.M