Initiative seeks to curb unemployment and create new jobs

CAIRO: The Kuwaiti delegation led by Minister of Social Affairs and Labor Hind Al-Sabeeh participates in the 45th Arab Labor Conference (ALC) in Cairo. — KUNA

CAIRO: Arab League Secretary General Ahmad Abul-Gheit yesterday praised His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah's initiative establishing a fund to support small and medium size enterprise (SMEs) in the Arab world. His Highness the Amir's initiative constitutes an "added value" to the Arab economies, contributing to efforts to curb unemployment and create new jobs, Abul-Gheit told the opening session of the 45th Arab Labor Conference (ALC) in Cairo.

The five-day pan-Arab event is sponsored by Egypt's President Abdulfattah El-Sisi, and is attended by representatives of the three parties of production in the Arab countries, the government, employers and employees. The Arab nation is going through a "defining moment", changes that pose "grave challenges" to the security and stability of its countries, as well as the welfare of the people, the League's chief noted. Abul-Gheit voiced confidence that Arabs are capable of defeating the challenges and move forward to "better prospects."

He stressed that the economic and social changes the Arab countries are experiencing prompt mustering efforts to cope with their "grave consequences." He also highlighted the role of the Arab Labor Organization (ALO) for mobilizing and coordinating Arab efforts for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the UN 2030 Agenda. The Arab Economic and Social Development Summit, Kuwait, 2009, approved an integrated program to support employment and counter unemployment in the Arab countries, and the ALO was tasked with following up the scheme, he said.

The summit issued a host of other resolutions for boosting human development and SMEs in the Arab region. As for the 45th ALC, the Secretary General said that the agenda comprises a multitude of major topics, including a report by the ALO's Director Genera themed "Dynamics of labor markets -transformations and tracks of progress." The report depicts an untraditional vision that forms a realistic ground of various sources for understanding the nature of the Arab labor markets, for analyzing their policies and the challenges they are facing.

In the meantime, Abul-Gheit said that the achieving the Arab economic integration is "indispensable and inevitable" to cope with the regional and international changes, as giant economic blocs have come to dominate the world's economic map. The Kuwaiti delegation to the ALC is led by Minister of Social Affairs and Labor Hind Al-Sabeeh. Also attending the conference from Kuwait are Director General of the Kuwait Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) Rabah Al-Rabah, and chairman of Kuwait Trade Union Federation (KTUF) Mohammad Al-Hudhaina, representing organizations of employers and employees respectively.

Arab integration

Minister of Social Affairs and Labor and State Minister for Economic Affairs Hind Al-Sabeeh stressed yesterday the importance of attaining Arab integration in the labor field. Al-Sabeeh made her remarks on the sidelines of her special honoring at the 45th session of the Arab Labor Conference in Cairo. The conference brings together three main components of work production; employees, employers, and governments, noting it also sheds light on labor issues, solutions, objectives, and achievements.

Al-Sabeeh expressed hope the conference and the participants achieve tangible results in favor of all Arab people, particularly in sustainable development-related subjects. "I hope the conference's meetings highlight some issues that fall in favor of Arab people's interest," the Kuwaiti senior official said. The event will discuss a report by the Arab Labor Organizations' Director-General, entitled "Dynamics of labor markets-transformations and tracks of progress," she noted. The AOL's report depicts an untraditional vision that forms a realistic ground of various sources for understanding the nature of the Arab labor markets, for analyzing their policies and the challenges they are facing, said Al-Sabeeh.

The conference is held regularly every year in April to prepare for the International Labor Organization meetings, she said, reiterating objective to achieve an Arab integration ahead of ILO meeting. Arab integration is essential for labor and labor opportunity fields due for its positive impact on people's life and human rights, said the Kuwaiti minister. Such an integration at international events would highlight the violations of Palestinian people's rights, especially since "we are all members in international bodies specialized in labor and human rights," said Al-Sabeeh.

On her ALO's honoring, the Kuwaiti minister dedicated the privilege to all Arab women, and said it is an implementation to one of the sustainable development's items on gender equality. "We want to prove that Arab nations appreciate any successful woman and empower her in various fields," Al-Sabeeh said. "Women in Kuwait enjoy all care and appreciation," she affirmed, noting females with high competence and educational degree could easily find their way around various businesses and positions.- Agencies