Qatar Participates in 52nd Session of Arab Labour Conference

Cairo, September 13, 2026 : The State of Qatar is participating in the 52nd session of the Arab Labour Conference, underway in Cairo with the participation of heads and members of delegations and representatives of the tripartite constituents from Arab countries, alongside representatives of relevant Arab and international organizations.

Al Marri Heads Qatari Delegation

HE Minister of Labour Dr. Ali bin Samikh Al Marri is heading the Qatari delegation to the conference.

Conference Reviews Arab Labour Organisation's 2025 Activities

The conference is discussing the report of the Director-General of the Arab Labour Organisation on the organisation's activities and achievements during 2025, in addition to several other reports and files referred to the current session. These include the outcomes of the 45th session of the Committee on Trade Union Freedoms, held in Cairo in April 2026, and the outcomes of the 24th session of the Arab Committee for Women's Labour Affairs, held in Kuwait last December.

Al Marri Highlights Regional Instability's Economic Toll

Addressing the conference's plenary session, Al Marri said the Arab Labour Conference is taking place against a backdrop of highly sensitive and complex regional circumstances, with tensions and conflicts affecting the security and stability of countries across the region, with repercussions for development, the economy, and labour markets.

He explained that recent developments have shown that the impact of crises extends beyond the borders of directly affected countries, spreading across the region through effects on trade, transport flows, supply chains, energy markets, and production and investment costs — ultimately affecting economies' and labour markets' ability to sustain employment and create new job opportunities.

Qatar Stresses Importance of Regional Stability

Al Marri noted that Qatar reaffirms that regional security and stability form fundamental pillars of sustainable development and labour market stability, stressing that de-escalation, dialogue, diplomacy, and peaceful solutions remain essential to protecting the region's peoples and safeguarding their development gains.

He added that the Director-General's report also highlighted the challenges facing Arab countries due to conflict and instability, along with the need for more resilient development models capable of responding to changing circumstances.

Qatar National Vision 2030 Guides Labour Reforms

Al Marri explained that Qatar has placed people at the heart of its development policies, as reflected in Qatar National Vision 2030, which seeks to balance human, social, economic, and environmental development while building a diversified, knowledge-based economy and investing in human capital.

He noted that, guided by this vision, Qatar's labour market has undergone continuous legislative and institutional reforms in recent years to build a more flexible, efficient, and sustainable labour market — including the introduction of a non-discriminatory minimum wage, strengthening of the Wage Protection System, development of regulatory frameworks for labour mobility, enhanced labour inspection and occupational safety standards, and improved mechanisms for labour dispute resolution and access to justice.

AI, Digital Transformation Demand Greater Investment in Skills

Al Marri stressed that rapid transformations in the world of work — particularly artificial intelligence, digital transformation, and the green economy — require greater investment in skills and reskilling, closer alignment between education and labour market needs, and proactive planning for the future of work, enabling economies and workers to benefit from technological opportunities while limiting their impact on the most affected groups.

Social Dialogue Key to Balanced Policy, Al Marri Says

He affirmed that Qatar views social dialogue and partnership between governments, employers, and workers as essential pillars for developing balanced, implementable policies that reconcile competitiveness and productivity with social justice and the protection of workers' rights.

Qatar Hopes for Practical Outcomes from Conference

Al Marri said Qatar hopes the conference's key message will be that sustainable development requires a productive economy, a flexible labour market, social justice, and institutions capable of responding to transformations and crises — all while keeping people at the heart of the development process. He expressed hope that the session's outcomes would strengthen Arab cooperation and translate its recommendations into practical initiatives supporting labour market stability and decent work opportunities.

Source: QNA