Oman hails GCC pledge on jobs

Juma'ah bin Ali bin Juma'ah, Oman's Minister of Manpower, praised the GCC Supreme Council's resolutions on efforts to provide jobs to nationals and facilitate labour movement in the GCC states.

He was speaking at the opening of the 19th session of the GCC Labour and Social Affairs Ministerial Council, held at Al Bustan Palace Hotel.

The minister praised the efforts of the GCC Secretariat General and the Executive Office of the ministerial council in following up implementation of labour policies. He said wider education has radically changed the structure of Gulf labour supply.

Juma'ah said Oman has made substantial progress in providing its citizens with jobs. He said a national forum on national manpower employment, organised on the orders of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said in October last year emphasised the government-private sector partnership.

The ministry of manpower has set up joint committees to plan for Omanisation in private establishments.

The minister said at present the Sultanate embarks on preparing a new labour law that deals with the international and Arab labour agreements and recommendations and embodies the Sultanate's achievements in the labour sector.

Abdul Rahman bin Hamad Al Attiyah, Secretary General of the council appreciated Oman's active role as the chairman of the current session of the GCC Supreme Council and commended the wise directives of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said which effectively support the GCC's march.

Al Attiyah hoped the current session will produce practical measures to balance national labour structures as directed by the council.

He briefed the meeting on the directives issued by the GCC leaders during the Riyadh summit in 1999 on the initial study on nationalising jobs and easing national workers' movement among the GCC countries.

The session was also addressed by Abdul Nabi Abdullah Al Shula, Bahraini Labour and Social Affairs Minister, Othman bin Abdullah Al Tuaijri, Director General of the ministerial council's executive office and Ibrahim Guwaidir, Director General of the Arab Labour Organisation.

Juma'ah bin Ali bin Juma'ah at the end of yesterday's meeting said that the ministers will also discuss, during the current session, unifying wages in the GCC states, problems of marriage, family welfare, vocational training, employment incentives, wage and salary structure in the private sector and coordination on relevant issues at the Arab and international forums.

Collective security policies and police services adopted by the GCC states will effectively ensure security throughout the Gulf, according to Major General Mohammed bin Abdullah Al Riyami, Assistant Inspector General of Police and Customs for Operations.

He was speaking at the end of the GCC interior undersecretaries preparatory meeting, which concluded at the Inter-continental Hotel, recently.

The undersecretaries met to prepare the ground for the two-day 11th meeting of the GCC interior ministers, to be held in Muscat on October 7-8.

Major General Al Riyami said that several important recommendations will be presented to the GCC interior ministers. These will include points which serve the GCC's march in security and police aspects.

Dr Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Salim, Undersecretary in the Saudi Interior Ministry in his turn affirmed the Kingdom's support for the use of identity cards by GCC citizens when travelling in the council states.