HIBAPRESS
The 52nd session of the Arab Labor Conference, organized by the Arab Labor Organization, kicked off today, Sunday, in Cairo. Delegations representing the three parties of production – governments, employers, and workers – from several Arab countries, including Morocco, are participating.
Morocco is represented at the conference, which is being held from September 13th to 20th, by a delegation led by Nora El Amarti, Acting Secretary-General of the Ministry of Economic Inclusion, Small and Medium Enterprises, Employment, and Skills. The delegation also includes representatives from the General Confederation of Moroccan Enterprises (CGEM), the Moroccan Chamber of Commerce, Industry, and Services, the Moroccan Federation of Labor (UMT), the General Union of Moroccan Workers (UGTM), and the Democratic Confederation of Labor (CDT).
El Amarti stated in a press release that the conference will discuss a number of issues related to labor markets in Arab countries, most notably deep structural challenges, especially concerning the shortage of job opportunities, particularly for youth and women.
She added that participants will also address the new challenges posed by digital transformation, artificial intelligence, and climate change, pointing out the existence of a collective Arab will to continue joint work and strengthen partnership and solidarity in the field of labor and employment.
In a speech during the opening session, Hassan Radad, Egyptian Minister of Labor and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Arab Labor Organization, affirmed his country's support for any joint Arab effort aimed at achieving development, providing job opportunities for youth, protecting workers, and strengthening social dialogue and social protection.
Radad explained that the past two sessions of the Board of Directors witnessed discussions on a number of pivotal issues, including reports related to financial and administrative matters, reports from the Financial Oversight Body, and the results of the work of the committees on legal experts, trade union freedoms, and working women's affairs.
The Council also discussed decisions from the 116th and 117th sessions of the Economic and Social Council concerning the Arab Labor Organization, including the inclusion of the Arab Entrepreneurship Strategy and the Declaration of Principles on Promoting Economic Diversification and Transition Towards Promising Economies within the topics proposed for the upcoming Arab Summit.
For his part, Fayez Ali Al-Mutairi, Director-General of the Arab Labor Organization, said that the organization has witnessed qualitative leaps in development and modernization in recent years, expanding its presence at regional and international levels, diversifying its programs, and bringing its activities closer to the needs of the parties of production.
Al-Mutairi noted that the organization has worked on new files imposed by the accelerating transformation in the world of work, including digital transformation, artificial intelligence, promising economies, and new skills, while maintaining its role as an Arab platform for social dialogue between the three parties of production, and a model for Arab coordination and joint cooperation.
This session is attended by approximately 530 participants, including representatives of the three parties of production and Arab, regional, and international organizations and unions, in addition to a number of experts concerned with labor and development issues, in a context where Arab labor markets are witnessing rapid transformations and new requirements.
The conference, whose current session is chaired by Jordan, serves as a space for tripartite social dialogue and an opportunity to converge visions and formulate common directions regarding the future of work and development in the Arab region.
The agenda of the session is topped by the issue of "Sustainable Economic Growth… Towards Inclusive and Fair Social Development in Arab Countries," through a report by the Arab Labor Bureau that reviews the relationship between economic growth and social justice, and ways to enhance productivity, competitiveness, responsible investment, and governance, in addition to leveraging technology and digital transformation, developing skills and aligning education outcomes with labor market needs, as well as supporting the green transition and mobilizing resources and financing in a more just and sustainable manner.
The conference will also discuss a number of technical files related to the future of work, most notably the topic of "Climate Change and its Impacts on the Work Environment," by exploring ways to enhance occupational safety and health, preparedness, and response to extreme climate risks and phenomena.
The conference will also address the topic of "Startups and Their Opportunities in the Context of Digital Transformation," which highlights the reality of startups in the Arab region, the legislative and institutional environment supporting their growth, and mechanisms for financing and incentives, in addition to reviewing a number of pioneering Arab experiences and models in the field of entrepreneurship.
The session's agenda also includes a review of the activities and achievements of the Arab Labor Organization for 2025, discussion of the organization's draft plan and budget for the period 2027-2028, in addition to the launch of the ninth edition of the "Employment and Unemployment Report in Arab Countries," which monitors the most prominent transformations and challenges in the region's labor markets.
