Kuwait, India to sign deal on labor this week

NEW DELHI: The visiting Kuwaiti Minister of Social Affairs and Labor, Minister of State for Economic Affairs Hind Al-Sabeeh met on Friday Indian Minister of State for External Affairs VK Singh. During the meeting, both ministers discussed ways of deepening cooperation between the two nations.

Sabeeh arrived New Delhi Thursday evening heading a delegation as part of her multi-state visit to discuss bilateral issues of cooperation especially the labor issues of migrant workers.

“We have a successful meeting with Indian Minister of State for External Affairs VK Singh during which we discussed several important matters including the finalization of a Memorandum of Understanding that would be signed (this) week in Kuwait,” the visiting minister, who was accompanied by Kuwaiti Ambassador Jassem Al-Najem, said.

Indian engineers

On the issue of Indian engineers in Kuwait, Sabeeh said that it would be helpful for the Indian engineers to get their qualifications certified since it will help them during their future work in Kuwait and more support would be provided for the early completion of verification of the certificates by the Kuwait Society of Engineers. “We also discussed the Kuwaiti governmental company named al Durra which would open application for the Indian maids and New Delhi welcomed the move, further deliberation on the same would be held when the Indian minister would visit Kuwait,” she said.

Sabeeh added that both countries would work through a joint working group to build up a linking platform to provide transparency to the recruitment of Indian workers in Kuwait.

The proposed platform would help streamline the recruitment process and take necessary steps to avoid misuse and the public and recruitment, and employing companies in both countries will get information about the openings and job opportunities, she noted.

The Kuwaiti minister also hailed the proposed plan to digitalize data related to the recruitment saying that all the information about the Kuwaiti companies and the Indian job seekers would be available.

The proposed joint project would help Indian job seekers find suitable jobs in Kuwait, she said, noting that the Kuwaiti Public Authority for Manpower and the Indian Ministry of Labor and Employment officials would sit together to finalize the matter which would create a win-win situation for both sides.

The minister further said that few minor problems of the Indian citizens in Kuwait and Kuwaiti citizens in India have been nearly solved by both sides.

Sabeeh also underlined that during the talks both sides discussed all other outstanding issues and came to the conclusion that the proposed signing of the MoU next week would resolve any pending issue between the two friendly nations.

Swaraj visits Kuwait

Meanwhile, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs announced that India’s External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj will arrive in Kuwait on Tuesday on a two-day official visit.

She will reach Kuwait after paying a two-day visit to Qatar. Swaraj is visiting the two Gulf countries for the first time as External Affairs Minister and the visit is in pursuit of India’s objective of enhanced engagement with the region, according to a statement by India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

Swaraj is scheduled to address a meeting of Indian community members at the Indian Embassy auditorium, Kuwait on Tuesday evening. On the second day of her visit to Kuwait, the minister is also scheduled to meet Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Sabah and discuss a wide range of topics of mutual concerns.

Swaraj will also call on His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah on Wednesday, the statement added.

During her visit to Qatar today, the minister will interact with her counterpart Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, who is also the Deputy Prime Minister. She will also call on Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani. She will interact with the Indian community in Doha, the MEA statement said.

The visit to the Gulf region, which is India’s extended neighborhood, will provide an opportunity to hold in-depth discussions with the political leadership on a wide range of global, regional and bilateral issues, the MEA added.