| Laying off workers poses no solution to economic crisis |
KUWAIT: The act of laying off foreign workers and returning them home is not a practical option to address the fallout of the global economic crisis, said Shahidul Haque, IOM Representative for the Middle East. The statement was made as he opened the four-day conference titled 'Enhancing Management of Temporary Foreign Labor in Kuwait,' which is being held at Costa Del Sol until Feb 19. The conference, funded by the British Embassy in Kuwait, was attended by Mohammad Al-Kandari and Jamal Al-Dousari, both u
ndersecretaries of Kuwait's Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor.
The foreign workers can be considered an important part of the solution. They can be a decisive factor in turning the crisis by creating new wealth or making sustainable business opportunities," he added. He recommended focusing on new economic activities, innovative business initiatives in which workers, both skilled and unskilled, can be productive. He believed that with the present global financial crisis and new, emerging centers of production, the trade in human resources would likely reshape the new
global economic architecture. "The global financial crisis has triggered a serious downturn in the global economy and perhaps deeper recession in some economies. The impact of the crisis is likely to vary according to country, geographic region and sectors," he added.
According to Haque, states and the global players cannot remain silent spectators in the global transformation and its effect on the rights of human migration. "We need to be pro-active in promoting and realizing the idea of "safe mobility as an opportunity for all," he said.
Valerie Cliff, United Nations Resident Coordinator in Kuwait, also spoke at the conference and said that like any other nation, Kuwait should also redouble its efforts to provide attractive and sustainable job opportunities. "Kuwait's national development goals are in fact defined by its strategic vision, which is to become a financial and commercial center attractive to investors where the private sector leads the economy, creating competition and promoting efficiency.
Cliff said she hoped the conference would result in a plan of action to understand labor migration issues and see enhanced cooperation and productive dialogue between the government, private sectors and workers as well as citizens and expatriates. Over thirty individuals from government sectors, civil societies, human rights groups, trade unions, private sector employees and diplomats are currently participating in the conference. Established in 1951, IOM, a migration agency, is committed to the principle that humane and orderly migration benefits migrants and society as a whole. - Kuwait Times |
| Posted on:
16/02/2009 |
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