Malaysia joins 15 nations in tech-driven labour market talks at 7th Abu Dhabi Dialogue

DUBAI: Representatives from Malaysia's Human Resources Ministry were among the participants from 15 Asian nations at the Seventh Abu Dhabi Dialogue (ADD) Ministerial Consultation meeting, held as part of the World Government Summit 2024 (WGS 2024) here on Sunday.

The dialogue focused on leveraging advanced technology for innovative initiatives aimed at regulating labour markets and enhancing worker protections.

In this ADD edition, nine nations that participated including Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Nepal, Pakistan, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam, are known for sending workers overseas.

On the other hand, seven countries such as the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Malaysia are destinations where these workers find employment and contribute to local economies.

UAE Minister of Human Resources and Emiratisation Dr Abdulrahman Al Awar highlighted the significance of the ADD as a crucial platform focusing on labour mobility in the region.

He emphasised its role in addressing future challenges in labour markets across Asia-Pacific.

"Labour markets are undergoing major economic and social transformations, along with wide-ranging structural changes that impact the nature of work and the type of businesses, jobs, and skills required to keep pace with global transformations, especially the radical changes affecting the core aspects of economic development.

"This has created a unique set of challenges, imposing new trends in labor market policies that align with the nature of these pivotal transformations," according to Emirates News Agency (WAM) quoted him as saying.

Al Awar further highlighted ADD's importance in strengthening partnerships and outlining future priorities for collaboration among member states.

"The UAE's belief in developing partnerships under the Abu Dhabi Dialogue umbrella, cooperating with international bodies to promote protection and social justice," he added.

During ADD, four sessions were held focusing on technology's role in labour market regulation, among others on how technology could help to settle disputes and manage banking services for employers.

Other sessions also explored using technology to improve wage protection and health information for workers, enhancing skills mobility between countries and developing partnerships to meet evolving labor market needs, as well as promoting gender equality in employment policies, especially in technology fields and ensuring fair treatment for female workers.

-- BERNAMA

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