Pakistan has been awarded the chairmanship of the Abu Dhabi Dialogue (ADD), which is a global think tank and networking platform for the generation of viable policy measures for the mobilization of contractual labor. The rotation of the chair has been given to Pakistan for the 2022-23 cycle, read an ADD press statement received by WealthPK.

ADD has the profile to generate and debate critical issues in the labour sector and also to make sure that international standards of labor are met under the guideline frameworks of the International Labor Organization (ILO).

Pakistan kicked off its assuming of the chair by conducting a virtual meeting of the senior officials of the ADD on October 18.  Speaking at the meeting, Federal Secretary for Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development Zulfiqar Haider said that bringing the countries together which had expats labour was the primary agenda of the ADD. “In order to resolve issues of the migrant labours it is necessary that the country of origin and the country of destination have practical working platforms where all issues are heard and settled. The issues include travel, safety, working conditions, contractual obligations and contract enforcement, and market compensation,” he said.

“ADD has provided a platform for dialogue, policy discussion, and deliberation to solve issues of migrant labours in member countries. The body has enabled the respective governments to take better decisions and to ensure that migrant workers are protected and heard. Policy measures have been devised by the tireless efforts of the ADD intelligentsia. However, these measures mean nothing unless actions are taken on part of the governments,” he continued.

Haider elaborated that the Abu Dhabi Dialogue has currently a focus on four key priority themes: 1) Leveraging technology to strengthen Member States’ capacity for labor market administration and promoting migrant workers’ welfare; 2) Facilitating and enhancing skills mobility between and among countries of origin and destination in response to the future of work; 3) Integrating a focus on gender equality into the recruitment promotion policies of the ADD Member States; and 4) Fostering international and regional cooperation between the Abu Dhabi Dialogue and other labor and migration-related fora, for better governance of labor migration in ADD corridors.

He concluded the session with a message of optimism and said that “Pakistan will not miss on any chance where it can contribute towards the well-being of people and labourers around the globe. Pakistan will streamline its efforts with the previous undertakings of the working groups of ADD to make sure that best practices of the past are continued. Migrant workers will be heard and issues related to their safe and legal travel will be resolved for all the member countries. This will bring together the country of origin and the country of destination.”

Credit : Independent News Pakistan-WealthPk