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Saudi Arabia has taken significant strides in bolstering employment opportunities through a series of agreements signed with The Gambia and Tanzania. Wego reports that on 9 November 2023, Abdullah Abuthnain, the Vice Minister of Human Resources and Social Development for Labor, inked four pivotal agreements during the Saudi-Arab-African Economic Conference in Riyadh.
These agreements establish a comprehensive framework for cooperation, focusing on regulating the recruitment processes of both general and domestic workers between the Saudi government and its counterparts in Tanzania and The Gambia. The primary objectives are to ensure lawful recruitment, safeguard the rights of workers and employers, and optimize the application of these agreements to serve all parties’ interests.
To work in Saudi Arabia, foreign workers must obtain a work visa, which requires a Saudi employer who can act as their sponsor. These agreements are expected to streamline this process, making it easier for workers from The Gambia and Tanzania to secure work visas.
Joint technical committees will be established to facilitate effective implementation and address potential challenges. These committees will monitor the execution of the agreements, identify obstacles, and coordinate efforts to overcome them.
The signing ceremony was attended by Baboucarr Ousmaila Joof, Gambia’s Minister of Trade, Industry, Regional Integration, and Employment, and January Yusuf Makamba, Tanzania’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation.
These agreements are part of Saudi Arabia’s ongoing commitment to facilitating the recruitment of domestic and professional workers into its labor market. This move is expected to ease the influx of workers to Saudi Arabia, fostering stronger developmental and economic ties with African countries.
