Doha                                                                                                                                                                                                      08 Nov. 2017                                                                                                                                                                                        (MOFA)

The State of Qatar welcomed Wednesday the announcement by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) that it will close its 2014 complaint against Qatar.

Qatar's Government Communication office said in a statement today that the announcement was an acknowledgement of the important steps the government of Qatar has taken to develop a modern labor system that is fair to employers and employees alike.

The statement noted that Qatar National Vision 2030 recognized the need to improve the living and working conditions of its migrant labor force well before contractors broke ground on World Cup sites.

Recent years saw Qatar’s Ministry of Administrative Development, Labor and Social Affairs initiated a sweeping new program to upgrade workers' housing by creating modern accommodations for the nations migrant laborers. A total of nine new labor accommodations that will house more than 340,000 guest workers are close to completion at sites throughout the country.

The statement highlighted that the government of Qatar also increased health care facilities with the construction of three modern hospitals and four new health centers for the nations migrant workers. Additionally, the government inaugurated a new labor contract system, with a Wage Protection System put in place to facilitate electronic transfer of workers' pay. The Government has also engaged with NGOs like Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and the International Trade Union Confederation to establish best practices for labor policies and has pledged to implement the highest standards for migrant labor in the region.

The Government Communication Office expressed appreciation to the insights of all those who have provided their international expertise and helped shape Qatars legal and procedural developments. Qatar will continue to work closely with them to ensure that workers rights are not only guaranteed but developed in parallel with international standards and best practice.

The statement then said that the State of Qatar developed a comprehensive programme of technical cooperation to ensure the reforms aligned with ILO best practice, in light of the latter's complaint. October of this year saw Qatar committed to the next stage of these reforms, and is developing a timeline for their full implementation.

The Government Communication Office expressed The State of Qatar's enormous gratitude to the millions of workers who have helped build the countrys infrastructure and who staff Qatar's service industries. The statement stressed that the Government will continue improving their living and working conditions in the years ahead, as Qatar pursues the goal of setting the highest standard for workers rights, and human rights in the region.