Humaidan briefs U.S. delegation on Bahrain's pioneering labour experience
27-02-2023
His Excellency Mr. Jameel bin Mohammed Ali Humaidan, Minister of Labour and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Labour Market Regulatory Authority, met in his office at the Ministry, a US government delegation headed by Mr. Matthew Levin, Director of the Bureau of Trade and Labor Affairs at the US Department of Labor, in the presence of Mr. Stephen Bundy, Ambassador of the United States of America to the Kingdom. During the meeting, they discussed the historical relations between the two friendly countries and ways to enhance them, especially with regard to labour cooperation. In this context, Humaidan reviewed the initiatives and policies pursued by the Kingdom of Bahrain to sustain the growth and stability of the labour market, promote labour rights, and keep unemployment rates within their normal limits, within the framework of the economic recovery plan, and attract more job-generating investment opportunities. Accordingly, the Minister of Labour stressed that social dialogue between the three production parties and the consolidation of the values of union work are among the basic principles adopted by Bahrain to enhance the stability of the labour market. Humaidan also reviewed with the US delegation Bahrain's efforts in developing national labour regulations and legislation in line with international labour standards, including amendments to some labour legislation. His Excellency explained to the visiting delegation the process of implementing the decision to ban discrimination in work on the basis of gender or religion, and the implementation of the workers' wage protection system, in addition to the decision on free movement of expatriate workers, and the unemployment insurance law. He also mentioned the some of the achievements witnessed by the Kingdom such as, the establishment of the Expatriate Labour Protection Centre, the precautionary measures and preventive measures taken by the government during the Corona pandemic (Covid-19), and the launch of economic and financial packages to support the private sector and maintain employment stability. In this context, Humaidan pointed out that Bahrain maintained its leading position in the first category in the US State Department's report on the classification of countries in the field of combating trafficking in persons for the fifth consecutive year. The minister also highlighted the fact that the government is relentless to continue its endeavours in generating tools that contribute to reducing this global phenomenon, in connection to the launch of the first regional centre to combat trafficking in persons. For its part, the US delegation praised the package of initiatives and policies implemented by the Kingdom of Bahrain, considering that Bahrain is a strategic partner of the United States of America. Noting in this context the development and growth of the labour market in Bahrain, while emphasising his country's keenness to enhance cooperation within the framework of the free trade agreement signed between the two friendly countries.