New Projects on Labour Mobility Beckon in GCC-Asia Corridors

Senior Officials participating in this week’s meeting of the Abu Dhabi Dialogue today agreed to begin planning for a new programme of projects designed to improve the governance of labour migration in GCC-Asia corridors.

Senior Officials participating in this week’s meeting of the Abu Dhabi Dialogue today agreed to begin planning for a new programme of projects designed to improve the governance of labour migration in GCC-Asia corridors.

The programme, which builds on a year-long research project, will focus on five key areas, including the development of skills partnerships, the sharing and dissemination of data, the application of technology to migration challenges, strengthening regional and global cooperation, and empowering women migrant workers.

Over 160 people participated in the four-day online meeting of the Abu Dhabi Dialogue, which was Chaired by the United Arab Emirates and facilitated using a platform for multilateral meetings that has been custom-built by the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation.

Officials from the Ministry were joined by delegations from Member States Afghanistan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Kuwait, Malaysia, Nepal, Oman, Pakistan, Philippines, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam, as well as observers from the Governments of France, Sweden and Switzerland.

Also participating were a number of globally-relevant inter-governmental unions, including representatives from the African Union, the European Union, the Gulf Cooperation Council and the League of Arab States, and international organisations, including ICMPD, the ILO, the IOM, the OECD, the UN Major Group for Children and Youth and UN Women, alongside participants from local government, civil society and the private sector.

Speaking on the final day of the meeting, H.E. Abdulla Al Nuaimi, Assistant Undersecretary for International Relations and Communications, said, “the programme that we have adopted points the way to a new era for the Abu Dhabi Dialogue, one which puts adapting to changes in employment landscapes at the centre of our agenda, while equipping governments to strengthen protections for migrants.

“The diversity and seniority of participants in this meeting of Senior Officials reflects the increased importance of the Abu Dhabi Dialogue in global discussions on migration governance. The Abu Dhabi Dialogue is well positioned to take a key role in informing labour markets across our region over the next few years.”

Senior Officials from Abu Dhabi Dialogue governments will now spend the next few months finalising a proposed programme of partnerships, to be presented to Ministers at the 6^th Ministerial Meeting, which is plan  to take place in fourth quarter 2021. The Ministerial Meeting will adopt an agenda for the next cycle of the ADD, which will be Chaired by a Member labour sending country.

The Abu Dhabi Dialogue was established in 2008 as a forum for Ministers and senior policy makers to discuss key issues relating to temporary labour migration between Gulf and Asian countries. Members consist of governments from the six GCC countries, in addition to governments from twelve countries across east and south Asia.