The Ambassador of the Kingdom of Bahrain to the Kingdom of Belgium, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and the Kingdom of Denmark, and representative to the European Union and NATO, Dr. Bahia Jawad Al-Jishi, participated in the meeting of the delegation of relations with the peninsula to the European Parliament which was held on April 22, 2021 under the theme “Expatriate Workers in the Gulf: Cross-border Issues and the Current and Future Situation”. The virtual meeting was attended by a number of deputies of the European Parliament, ambassadors from the countries of the Arabian Peninsula, and representatives of various international bodies and organisations.
Addressing the meeting, Dr. Bahia emphasised the long-standing experience of the Kingdom of Bahrain regarding expatriate workers, explaining the government’s efforts in developing legislation that protects them and preserves their rights, such as the Labour Law and the “flexible visa” law that allow them to move freely. She pointed out agencies and committees such as the Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) and the National Committee for Combating Human Trafficking.
Dr. Bahia referred to international partnerships in this field, such as the opening of the International Organization for Migration office in the Kingdom in 2018. She pointed out the Kingdom’s numerous achievements and its success to maintain its Tier 1 ranking in the US Department of State Trafficking in Persons (TiP) Report for three consecutive years.
In conclusion, Dr. Bahia responded to some remarks from the attendees and highlighted the government’s efforts to protect expatriate workers in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. In response to a question about the Labour Day, the ambassador stated that Bahrain celebrates it and considers it a public holiday in which distinguished workers are honored. She also underlined Bahrain’s unrelenting efforts to ensure the rights of expatriate workers are fully protected.
