Vietnam and Qatar sign labor co-operation pact

From Nhan Dan (Vietnamese Communist State News Service)
January 11, 2008

Vietnam and Qatar signed a labour co-operation agreement in Hanoi on January 11, launching a new phase in bilateral ties in labour and social affairs.

The agreement was inked by Minister of Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan and Qatar Minister of labour and State Social Affairs Sultan Bin Hassan Al-Dhabit Al-Dosari.

The Qatar government has licensed its businesses to recruit an additional 25,000 Vietnamese workers besides the current 10,000. The country plans to increase the number of Vietnamese guest workers to 100,000 within the next three years.

“As Vietnam is open its embassy in Qatar soon, we will assign an attaché in charge of coordinating with the local authorities in managing Vietnamese workers,” Minister Ngan said.

Before the signing ceremony, the two ministers held talks to discuss in details issues related to labour co-operation, particularly vocational training for Vietnamese workers, and the management and protection of their interests in Qatar .

Later on the day, Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Sinh Hung gave a reception to the visiting Qatar labour minister.

He told the guest that labour co-operation is the shortest way for the two countries to boost their cooperation and expand trade and investment and attain higher economic growths.

“The labour cooperation agreement will provide a full and close legal framework for the sending of Vietnamese workers to Qatar ,” Deputy PM Hung said.

He emphasised that the two sides need to collaborate in training Vietnamese workers not only in professional skills, but also in the language, culture and customs and the law of Qatar.