The 39th Arab Labor Conference called on the Arab League to speed up the establishment of Arab common market to ensure easy flow of capital, commodities and labor and realize the integration by expanding the role of Arab finance funds, the conference said in a final statement Thursday, Oman News Agency said Friday. The statement underscored the need to upgrade social security and expand social nets to guarantee secured livelihood and social justice to Arab citizens. The conference called on Arab countries to endorse Arab labor agreements especially those related to minimum insurance requirement and the Arab worker's rights for insurance coverage. The conferees also called for setting up a draft agreement on social protection of workers in the informal sector. Khalil bin Abdullah Al Khonji, OCCI Chairman and GCC Chambers' Union Chairman, urged the governments, employers and employees in Arab countries to activate social dialogue, continue cooperation and transparent and peaceful dialogue which could lead to achievements in human development. Al Khonji urged to quickly build the administrative structures for manpower register centers for research and studies survey that target the needs of labor markets, updating information of job-seekers and establishing a stable system for comprehensive and permanent data base for teaching graduates. He said that in order to provide jobs for the increasing number of jobseekers, it is important first to review and revise the role of the Arab private sector in economic development. He called upon the sector to exert more efforts in future in commitment to principles of sustainable development and social responsibility, especially in developing and supporting small enterprises and to direct more investments to establish and develop the projects, with special attention on productive projects that provide more training and job opportunities. Al Khonji urged to quickly build the administrative structures for manpower register centers for research and studies survey that target the needs of labor markets, updating information of jobseekers and establishing a stable system for comprehensive and permanent data base for teaching graduates. He said that in order to provide jobs for the increasing number of jobseekers, it is important first to review and revise the role of the Arab private sector in economic development. He called upon the sector to exert more efforts in future in commitment to principles of sustainable development and social responsibility, especially in developing and supporting small enterprises and to direct more investments to establish and develop the projects, with special attention on productive projects that provide more training and job opportunities. A Directorate-General of Arab Labor Organization (ALO) report appreciated Oman's national data system to combat unemployment in the Arab world. It also made a reference to the manpower register and “Sanad program”, saying that the Ministry of Manpower in the sultanate regularly conducts studies about employment and write annual reports to follow up employment in the private sector. The report said that the ministry prepares programs for professional training to meet job market requirements through a set of professional training and technical education. The role of ALO role in supporting human development programs and regulating labor markets was underscored at the conference.
