KATHMANDU: An understanding has been reached between Nepal and Qatar to renew the bilateral labor agreement. The understanding to this effect was reached at a meeting held between Minister for Labor, Employment and Social Security, Krishna Kumar Shrestha, and Labor Minister of Qatar, Dr Ali bin Samikh Al Marri.

Minister Shrestha is currently on Qatar visit.

Minister Shrestha briefed his Qatari counterpart about the draft sent by the Government of Nepal for the renewal of labor agreement between Nepal and Qatar. According to Minister Shrestha’s Secretariat, the agreement was reached to give a final shape to the draft soon by holding discussions on it and to host agreement signing ceremony in Nepal.

Both the countries had signed the agreement in 2005 in a bid to make labor migration safe and order and regular.

On the occasion, both the ministers held discussions on implementation of decisions made by fourth meeting of Nepal-Qatar Joint Committee held in Kathmandu in December, 2021. Nepal and Qatar had agreed to revise the labor agreement.

Various issues including social security of Nepali workers, safety at workplace, health facility and arrangement of 24-hour insurance were also discussed, it is said. There are more than 300,000 Nepali workers in Qatar.

Similarly, Quatari Minister Marri expressed his interest to recruit Nepali workers in the FIFA World Cup being held in Qatar in 2022.

Secretary Yek Narayn Aryal, Joint-Secretary Rajeev Pokharel, Under-Secretary Dr Thaneshwor Bhusal, officers of Nepali Embassy and Secretary at Labour Ministry of Qatar, Mohammed Hassan Al Obaidli, were present on the occasion.