Uganda and Oman set to agree on labor export deal.
Uganda is about to formally enter into an agreement with Oman to expedite its labor export business. After a year of negotiations, Esther Anyakun, the Minister of State for Labor, Employment, and Industrial Relations, paid a visit to Muscat early this week.
Anyakun and Mahad Said Ali Baawain, Oman’s labor minister, met bilaterally to discuss creating a new market for Ugandầns with both semi-skilled and skilled labor. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to officially recruit Ugandans in Oman and speed up the labor migration process is soon to be finalized.
The visit culminates discussions that were started in July 2023 by Ingah Atamba Kutesa, the Sultanate of Oman’s Honorary Consul in Uganda, with the Oman Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
This cooperative effort, according to Ingah Kuteesa, aims to meet Oman’s workforce requirements while also giving Ugandans job opportunities. He also added that the Oman government’s support is crucial for this initiative.
“Our aim is to expedite the process by facilitating negotiations with Uganda on labour externalisation, with the ultimate goal of realising the benefits associated with this endeavour.”
According to Ugandan officials, there are benefits to using outside labor, including increased household incomes for migrant workers and the development of new, positive work ethics and skills among Ugandan employees.
Remittances from Middle Eastern migrant workers are estimated to be close to $600 million annually.
