CAIRO: Egypt is boosting efforts to train expatriates heading for Saudi shores following key meetings held by Minister of State for Immigration and Expatriates Soha Gendi.
The minister discussed improving the participation of Egyptian expatriates in the Kingdom’s labor market with Faisal Al-Otaibi, Saudi labor attache in Cairo.
During the talks, she referred to previous talks with Ahmad bin Sulaiman Al-Rajhi, Saudi minister of human resources and social development, during a visit to the Kingdom.
The talks led to the creation of a working group for communication between the two sides involving embassies and labor offices.
Al-Otaibi said that the meeting followed up on the proposals agreed in Riyadh to consolidate the relationship between the two countries.
He stressed the importance of focusing on the quality of migrant workers in light of the Kingdom’s new strategy to employ skilled workers.
The move, he said, would double the number of foreign workers in the Kingdom to serve new-generation projects being launched in Saudi Arabia.
The Kingdom, he added, sought Egypt’s “distinguished human resources to have a large space in the new labor market.”
Al-Otaibi stressed the importance of coordination between the Saudi and Egyptian ministries, and Egyptian expatriate community.
He said that his work as Saudi labor attache in Egypt came in line with the Kingdom’s strategy to move officials to labor-exporting countries.
The Saudi group’s work includes educating and informing workers about policies and regulations in the Kingdom, he added.
An awareness campaign is being prepared that includes videos covering the issues that Egyptian workers need to know about their rights and duties in the Kingdom, Al-Otaibi said.
Gendi said that she was directed to publish the educational content as part of the campaign.
It includes videos, infographics and messages distributed through the Ministry of Immigration’s social media platforms.
Gendi also proposed the establishment of an Egyptian-Saudi center for migration, jobs and reintegration, similar to the Egyptian-German Center affiliated with the Ministry of Immigration.
Egypt’s plans also aim to equip expatriates with the necessary skills to achieve the country’s goals of sustainable development as well as the objectives of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 program.
