By Assan Bah
The first batch of Gambian domestic workers has on Monday left for Saudi Arabia as part of the bilateral labour agreement between The Gambia and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
According to a press statement from the Ministry of Trade, Industry, Regional Integration and Employment (MoTIE), the batch consists of twenty-two (22) Gambian women recruited as domestic workers in the Saudi Arabia, while the second batch of twenty-three (23) women are expected to leave for Saudi Arabia on the 27th February, 2025.
During a farewell ceremony at the Ministry, the Minister, Baboucarr O. Joof, encouraged the women by emphasizing the importance of this economic advancement opportunity as he highlighted the government’s commitment to ensuring the workers safety and well-being.
While advising the workers to be law-abiding, respect their Saudi employers and report any complaints to the Staff of the Gambian Embassy in Saudi Arabia, the Ministry of Trade or to the licensed agencies, the minister assured that the government and the licensed agencies would monitor their welfare and provide them with the necessary support during their stay in the Kingdom.
He described the occasion as significant, not just for the workers and their families, but for The Gambia. As he told the women, this agreement represents a viable avenue for Gambian to secure employment and to support themselves and their families.
These women have recently undergone a ‘comprehensive’ pre-departure training and orientation on essential aspects of Saudi Arabian culture, labour laws, workplace safety as well as on their rights and responsibilities as migrant workers.
In a recent question and answer session with the members of the joint committee on the Saudi and Spain agreement the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Trade informed the committee that workers would be receiving monthly wages of US$200 but said, he was informed that some of the agents were able to get up to US$240. “In the recently concluded mission, the issue of wage renegotiating was also tabled,” he said.
The Republic of the Gambia and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia during the 2023 Africa-Arab Summit in Saudi Arabia, signed “Bilateral Labour Agreement for the Recruitment of Domestic Workers” and the “Bilateral Labour Agreement for the Recruitment of Skilled Workers” to provide a structured and regulated framework for the recruitment and employment of Gambians in Saudi Arabia.
These agreements were supposed to include provisions for fair wages, working conditions, among others. Since its ratification, it has been implemented, by private recruitment agencies from the two countries.
Despite the Ministry having recruited 16 private recruitment agencies in the Gambia, it said, due to technical issues only 3 were recruiting.
According to the Permanent Secretary (PS), the Saudis are using a system called Musaned, which he said was launched by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development for the recruiting of domestic workers. Thereby, warranting Gambian recruitment agencies to get familiarized or trained to have access.
According to the PS in an interface with the National Assembly Select committee Gamjobs limited and Outsource [both local recruitment agencies] have so far enlisted 8,139 and 1,335 potential participants respectively. But said, only 22 have got their visas with 95 being processed by the Musaned.
