BEIRUT: A Kuwaiti official said yesterday that his country has made significant progress in foreign labor recruitment, which proves beneficial for exporting and importing nations alike. Speaking on the sidelines of an International Labor Organization (ILO) meeting, Jaber Al-Ali, the head of international relations at Kuwait's Public Authority for Manpower, pointed out that labor recruitment can only be productive with cooperation between exporting and importing nations.

On the ILO meeting, he said that Kuwait and Egypt are exploring labor opportunities using "new and unconventional methods," where both countries have formed ad hoc committees to inspect new labor systems. Ali added that Kuwait continues to revamp guidelines to recruit expatriate workers from countries such as India and Sri Lanka. The two-day ILO meeting delves into labor recruitment in the Middle East, including strategies to curb illegal practices in that field. - KUNA