The International Labour Organization (ILO) has called for stronger cooperation between African and Arab countries to improve labour mobility and protect migrant workers.
The call came at the second Doha Dialogue on labour mobility. Representatives from African Union member states, all six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, Jordan and Lebanon attended the meeting.
Participants discussed ways to make cross-border recruitment fairer and more predictable. They also examined how countries could better match workers’ skills with available jobs.
The discussions focused on five priorities: recognising qualifications, preventing unfair recruitment, protecting wages, improving access to justice and ensuring social protection for migrant workers.
ILO calls for fairer recruitment and skills recognition
Recognising qualifications across borders emerged as a key issue during the dialogue. Workers need clearer pathways to secure jobs that match their training and experience.
Better skills recognition could also help employers identify suitable candidates. However, effective labour mobility requires more than matching workers with vacancies.
Participants called for stronger recruitment safeguards and better access to justice. They also highlighted wage protection and the ability to retain social protection benefits when workers move between countries or return home.
In addition, the discussions stressed the importance of bilateral labour migration agreements. Better labour-market data could help governments and employers plan recruitment needs and make hiring processes more transparent.
The discussions build on the Doha Declaration on Labour Mobility, adopted after the first Doha Dialogue in Qatar in 2024. The declaration set out a framework for cooperation on skills mobility, fair recruitment, labour-market information and migrant worker protection.
Africa’s workforce could help meet Gulf labour demand
Demographic and economic changes are creating opportunities for closer labour market ties between Africa and Gulf economies.
Africa’s growing working-age population could help meet workforce demand across GCC economies. Meanwhile, Gulf countries are diversifying their economies and creating opportunities across different sectors.
However, participants stressed the need to manage labour mobility responsibly so that workers and destination countries can benefit.
Hussein Ali Mwinyi, President of Zanzibar, delivered the keynote address on behalf of Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan. He highlighted the complementary demographic and economic strengths of the two regions.
Qatar’s Minister of Labour, Ali bin Samikh Al Marri, reaffirmed the country’s commitment to consultations with participating governments and international partners. He also stressed the need to work within national policies and legislation.
ILO pushes to turn commitments into action
The ILO wants participating countries to move beyond broad commitments and develop practical measures that improve labour migration systems.
Ruba Jaradat, ILO Regional Director for Arab States, outlined areas where the organisation would focus its efforts. These include skills mobility, fair recruitment, wage protection, access to justice and the portability of social protection benefits.
For employers, these priorities affect how they recruit, assess qualifications and manage migrant workers across borders. Clearer rules and better labour-market information could also help businesses plan their workforce needs.
However, progress will depend on how governments translate the dialogue’s commitments into policies, agreements and enforcement measures.
ILO programmes support labour migration governance
The ILO is already involved in programmes that aim to improve labour migration governance between Africa and Arab States.
One of these is the FAIRWAY programme, funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation. It supports cooperation on fair recruitment, access to justice, bilateral labour migration agreements, migration data, skills mobility and wage protection.
The ILO also participates in the Joint Labour Migration Programme, an African Union initiative implemented by the African Union Commission, the ILO, the International Organization for Migration and GIZ.
The programme aims to strengthen labour migration governance, social protection, skills development and institutional capacity across African countries. It receives funding from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency.
Implementation remains the next test
The second Doha Dialogue marks a shift towards putting agreed principles into practice. Countries now need to strengthen cooperation and establish measures that address the needs of workers and employers.
For GCC businesses, effective labour mobility can help connect workforce demand with skills available across international markets. At the same time, fair recruitment, wage protection and access to social security remain essential to safeguarding migrant workers.
The outcome will depend on whether participating countries turn their commitments into workable agreements, stronger institutions and better protection for people moving across borders for employment.
