RIYADH: Saudi Arabia and Uganda signed a new agreement to employ domestic workers from the African country, with an aim to ensure continued labor cooperation.
The agreement, which was signed by Saudi Minister of Human Resources and Social Development Eng. Ahmed bin Sulaiman Al-Rajhi and Uganda’s Minister for Gender, Labor and Social Development Betty Amongi, is the result of intensive meetings between the two sides.
This is part of a common goal to protect the rights of domestic workers and business owners and regulate the contractual relationship among them.
The joint agreement between the two sides had been institutionalized following the signing of the labor agreement in 2017 aimed at promoting the welfare and rights of migrant workers.
The Ministry of Gender, Labor and Social Development also raised key issues including the renewal of the bilateral agreement. The Saudi government has promised to study the issues raised and report back in three months.
The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development is constantly reviewing and assessing joint agreements with countries exporting domestic workers according to development and local market needs.
As part of the mission, Amongi visited a shelter for distressed Ugandan workers managed by the Ugandan Embassy to listen to the workers.
The delegation also visited and interacted with a number of Saudi recruitment agencies that recruit Ugandan migrant workers.
Saudi Arabia is the biggest labor externalization destination in the Middle East with over 150,000 Ugandans migrant workers, according to statistics from the Ministry of Gender, Labor and Social Development.
The government of Uganda and the Kingdom reached an agreement last year that gives Uganda authority to suspend Saudi labor companies that abuse the contractual obligations and rights of Ugandan migrant workers.
That agreement was reached when Amongi led a delegation to Saudi Arabia to discuss matters related to the externalization of labor from Uganda to the Middle East. The Ugandan delegation reported breaches of terms and conditions in migrant workers ‘contracts.
