ZANZIBAR: ZANZIBAR President Dr Hussein Mwinyi has called on African and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC+) countries to strengthen cooperation on labour mobility to ensure it is safe, fair and beneficial to workers.
Dr Mwinyi made the call yesterday in Dar es Salaam, while representing President Dr Samia Suluhu Hassan at the opening of the Second Doha Dialogue on Labour Mobility.
He said political commitments should be translated into practical policies, agreements and programmes that protect migrant workers and improve the benefits of labour mobility.
“Political commitments on labour migration should be translated into policies, agreements and programmes that improve the welfare of migrant workers, their families and employers, while contributing to economic development,” Dr Mwinyi said.
Dr Mwinyi stressed the need to strengthen workers’ rights, recruitment systems and bilateral labour agreements, as well as use reliable data in planning and managing labour mobility.
He said Tanzania will continue working with African and Gulf countries to promote labour mobility based on mutual benefit and shared responsibility.
The President’s call came as officials and experts from more than 33 African, Gulf and Arab countries began a two-day meeting aimed at turning commitments on labour migration into practical and measurable cooperation.
Speaking during the meeting on Monday, Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Prime Minister’s Office (Labour, Employment and Relations), Ms Zuhura Yunus, said the success of the dialogue should be measured by concrete action to protect migrant workers rather than commitments alone.
She said stronger recruitment systems, occupational safety and health, access to justice, social protection and reliable labour mobility data were important in ensuring safe and productive movement of workers between Africa and the Gulf.
“A large number of African youths continue to seek employment opportunities in the Gulf, so it is our responsibility to ensure the process is safe and protects their rights,” she said.
Ms Zuhura said Tanzania is ready to work with the African Union, Gulf countries, Jordan and Lebanon to build stronger mechanisms for dignified labour mobility.
Qatar’s Undersecretary of the Ministry of Labour, Sheikha Najwa bint Abdulrahman Al-Thani, said holding the second Dialogue in Africa demonstrated that labour mobility was a collective responsibility involving both countries of origin and destination.
She said the outcome should be judged by tangible results, calling on participants to identify joint projects, assign responsibilities and agree on mechanisms for measuring progress.
She identified skills development and labour-market pathways, fair recruitment and access to justice, and social protection as key areas for closer cooperation.
The Head of Labour, Employment and Labour Migration at the African Union Commission, Dr Sabelo Mbokazi, said the growing number of African youth seeking employment in Gulf countries underscored the need for stronger regional cooperation to protect their rights and interests.
The Second Doha Dialogue is being hosted by Tanzania in collaboration with Qatar, the African Union Commission and GCC member states under the theme, “Advancing Fair and Sustainable Labour Mobility between Africa and the Gulf (GCC+).”
The meeting was also attended by Qatar’s Minister for Labour, Dr Ali bin Samikh Almarri; Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office (Labour, Employment and Relations), Deus Clement Sangu, Zanzibar Minister for Labour, Employment and Youth Affairs and Empowerment, Ali Suleiman Ameir Mrembo and Tanzania’s Ambassador to Qatar, Habibu Awesi Mohamed, among other officials and representatives.
