MoHRE represents Permanent Secretariat of Abu Dhabi Dialogue at International Organisation for Migration meeting

The Permanent Secretariat of the Abu Dhabi Dialogue (ADD), represented by the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE), participated in the International Organisation for Migration’s regional meeting to explore strategies for enhancing regular migration pathways and temporary labour mobility, in order to support countries in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region in addressing the impact of climate change.

The meeting, held recently in Cairo, was attended by government representatives from the Middle East, North Africa, and Europe, along with delegates from the Arab League, UN partner agencies, civil society, and prominent academics.

Over the course of two days, the meeting discussed the effects of climate change on migration trends and policies regarding temporary labour movement in the region, analysing their impact on life, society, economic growth, and employment, particularly in light of the accelerating shift towards a green economy.

Participants exchanged expertise and best practices in that regard, focusing on tactics to mitigate challenges facing governance, and ways to support labour sending and receiving countries in making an urgent transition to a green economy, while addressing the implications of this shift on national and migrant workers in these nations.

In his remarks, Abdulrahman Al Sharhan, Director of the International Organisations Department at MoHRE and representative of the ADD Permanent Secretariat, highlighted the critical role that Abu Dhabi Dialogue plays as a voluntary consultative platform that fosters communication among labour sending and receiving countries in Asia and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, regarding strategies to align temporary labour migration policies with economic returns for both sending and receiving nations.

“The Dialogue provides a framework to analyse best practices that have the potential to support bilateral and regional collaboration, and strengthen partnerships that aim to regulate labour markets across the region,” he added. “Moreover, it allows for exchanging innovative initiatives in an effort to protect workers’ rights and improve their wellbeing amidst a thriving business community.”

Al Sharhan further emphasised the importance of developing “green skills”, which is “a decisive factor and necessary for ensuring safe, orderly, and legal labour mobility, particularly amid a fast-evolving employment landscape and significant economic shifts in host countries towards advanced, digital, and green technology-driven industries, all of which demand new labour market skills.”

Al Sharhan went on to underline the pivotal role that the Abu Dhabi Dialogue can play in promoting cooperation between labour sending and receiving countries, enabling them to uphold their respective responsibilities for mobile workers. He stressed the importance of skill-based partnerships in bridging skills gaps in host countries, while supporting development efforts in labour sending nations through higher remittances, which provide a vital source of income. Additionally, he called for enhancing reintegration and career advancement opportunities for migrant workers within the corridor upon returning to their home countries, which allows them to bring back advanced skills and knowledge they cultivated through employment opportunities in the region.