Kathmandu: The Council of Ministers has approved the signing of a labour agreement between Nepal and Saudi Arabia.
The agreement will be signed soon between the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development of Saudi Arabia and the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security of Nepal.
Efforts for a labour agreement with Saudi Arabia had been ongoing since 2010, and after a long process, Labour Minister Sharat Singh Bhandari finalized it.
Minister Bhandari informed that this has opened the way for a labour agreement with Saudi Arabia, one of the major foreign employment destinations for hundreds of thousands of Nepalis.
This agreement will ensure that Nepali workers receive rights in accordance with international human rights principles and benefits under the employer-pay policy.
Minister Bhandari claimed that all future labour agreements will prioritize the needs, priorities, and human rights of Nepali workers.
Labour Secretary Dr Krishnahari Pushkar said that the Government of Nepal is seriously analyzing the issues of proper protection, safe employment, and labour exploitation faced by Nepalis going abroad for work.
Stating that the ministry is conducting a detailed review of past labour agreements, Secretary Pushkar said that Nepal has adopted a zero-tolerance policy against labour exploitation and human rights violations in labour-destination countries.
President of the Nepal Association of Foreign Employment Agencies, Bhuvan Singh Gurung, welcomed the labour agreement with Saudi Arabia and suggested that similar agreements should be made with other countries as well.
Labour and employment expert Yuvaraj Basnet stated that the agreement has focused on ensuring social protection for Nepali workers abroad. He highlighted that Saudi Arabia has been making wide-ranging labour policy reforms in preparation for hosting the FIFA World Cup in 2034.
Saudi Arabia had already reformed the “Kafala system,” considered a form of modern-day slavery, in March 2021. By amending its labour law, Saudi Arabia has guaranteed minimum wages and service benefits for foreign workers. After international concerns were raised about labour exploitation during the Qatar World Cup, Saudi Arabia appears to have paid special attention to workers’ rights and welfare.
Earlier, Saudi Arabia had already partnered with the National Vocational Training Institute in Nepal, utilizing the “Saudi Fund” to provide international-level training.
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