RIYADH, 17 October 2004 — An additional one million Nepalese workers will be recruited by Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE in staggered phases following negotiations made by a Nepalese labor delegation, which wrapped up a three-nation Gulf tour at the weekend.
“Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar have assured that that they can provide Nepal with an additional one million jobs for semi-skilled and skilled workers,” said Lok Bahadur Thapa, charge d’affaires at the Nepalese Embassy, yesterday.
Thapa was responding to a question about the statement made by Nepalese Information Minister Mohammed Mohasin, who said that the Kingdom had already stepped up recruitment of Nepalese workers, which is evident from the fact that the number of its workers has increased from 40,000 in 1998 to 300,000 now.
Thapa and Bishwa Paneru, an attaché at the Nepalese Embassy, said “Riyadh has evinced keen interest for hiring more skilled Nepalese workers”. They said the Nepalese labor delegation led by Dr. Mohasin visited the Kingdom last week and discussed the whole gamut of labor issues. They also pointed out that nearly 50,000 Nepali women have entered Saudi Arabia through illegal channels, even as the government has banned women from going to Gulf countries for employment.
Dr. Mohasin, however, said that Saudi employers have urged Nepal to send more women workers. “Since so many Nepalese women are already working in the Kingdom, the government will consider lifting the ban on female workers,” he said.
There is no fixed timetable for hiring the one million extra Napalese workers by the three Gulf countries.
During the tour, the Nepalese delegation discussed with government officials the security of workers. An AFP report said Gulf officials assured the delegation measures to protect the interests of Nepalese workers.
Gulf labor ministers are scheduled to tour Nepal very soon to hold consultations on labor issues.
