Kuwaiti minister urges further GCC labor collaboration

Enormous challenges facing the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) prompt member states to enhance collaboration and boost economic and human resources development to realize expectations of their peoples, Kuwait's Minister of Social Affairs and Labor Hind Al-Sabeeh has said.
The changes in the labor market and the continuation of financial crises, together with regional conditions, throw dark shadows on the whole scene, Al-Sabeeh told the opening session of the 31th meeting of the GCC Social Affairs and Labor Ministers opened here on Tuesday.
Amid this all, there is a need for promoting formulas of joint action so that the GCC peoples would be the focus of development and change, in addition to achieving a renaissance that supports stability and creates a safe and just labor environment.
Al-Sabeeh stressed the crucial role of the private sector in development.
"Sustainable development cannot be realized without a real participation by the private sector to bridge the gap of national labor, work conditions, production methods and governance," she said. Al-Sabeeh noted that Kuwait is paying prior attention to enhancing national labor and fostering the value of work among the people.
The Kuwait Minister also emphasized the dire need to unify GCC efforts to launch joint projects in different sectors and reach the aspired targets, making the long-awaited GCC Common Market a reality.
She thanked GCC Secretary General Abdullatif Al-Zayani and Director General of the Executive Bureau of the GCC Social Affairs and Labor Ministers Council Aqeel Al-Jassem for the efforts to guarantee success for the 31th ministerial session.
Al-Sabeeh stressed that honoring a host of the GCC companies and institutions in this session comes in recognition of their efforts supporting national labor, setting a role model for others.
For his part, Al-Zayanai told the gathering that the session comes in continuation of the projects and joint action programs agreed upon in previous meetings.
The Al-Zayani's statement was delivered to the event by Director of the Labor and Social Service Department at the GCC Secretariat Abdullah bin Muhanna Al-Kharousi on behalf of Secretary General.
Honoring a number of companies and institutions in the member states appreciates their role in fostering national labor, Al-Zayani said. The honoring will also extend to the best small enterprise in the GCC, and many others for their support to the labor markets.
A major goal of the current session is enhancing the labor market in the GCC countries through offering more new proper jobs, Director General of the Executive Bureau of the GCC Social Affairs and Labor Ministers Council Aqeel Al-Jassem, said. He stressed the role of workforce for increasing production.
One main issue to be addressed by the current ministerial session is lifting the restrictions hindering the free move of national labor among the GCC member states, Al-Jassem said.
In addition, participants in the session will discuss a report prepared through technical and financial support from the UAE Ministry of Labor on the flexibility of labor markets and the move of migrant labor in the GCC, besides a legal analytical study on "forced labor" and human trafficking.
Meanwhile, the Executive Office has adopted a program aiming at merging people with special needs int the society, Al-Jassem said.