Geneva: Kuwait told the annual conference of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) that it remains committed to protecting expatriate workers and their rights.
The Kuwait News Agency quoted the minister of social affairs and labour, Thekra Al Rashidi, as saying that that she was pleased with the success of the first meeting of GCC labour ministers with Guy Ryder, the newly-appointed director general of the International Labour Organisation.
Thekra said that the meeting, which was held during the ILO’s annual conference, focused on GCC labour issues including the large expatriate workforce in the region. She said the meeting also discussed means of developing cooperation between the GCC and ILO, especially in terms of applying labour standards to help countries in dealing with the changes in labour recruitment.
The GCC countries are working together to find solutions to issues and difficulties facing workers and have presented such issues at the annual conference, Thekra added. She reaffirmed the GCC’s support for Palestinian workers and said it continued to finance projects related to Palestine and said Kuwait also supported the Palestinian cause in tandem with the international community and the UN.
The annual conference of the ILO began on June 5 and concludes on June 20. The event is being attended by more than 5,000 ministers, representatives of labour and workers’ associations, businessmen, and civil society organisations.
