Arab Labor Organization
 

Introduction | Objectives of Arab Labor Organization | Sultanate’s Joining ALO

Introduction:

The idea of establishing the Arab Labor Organization (ALO) emerged after a number of Arab countries have joined the International Labor Organization (ILO) and participated in its conferences and various activities. Meetings between Arab labor ministers and other Arab delegations which participated in international labor conferences, since the 43rd session held in 1959, have come up with positive consequences on both the Arab and international fields. This led to the emergence of the of idea holding regular meetings between Arab labor ministers to discuss matters of concern to Arab countries in labor and laborers fields. Meetings of Arab delegations which participated in those conferences have come out with the idea of establishing the ALO.

The initiative to hold the first conference of Arab Labor ministers came from Iraq in January 1965 to consult and discuss the basis of establishing of the ALO. The conference was held in the same year with the participation of Jordan, Tunisia, Algeria, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, Iraq, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Egypt, Morocco and Yemen. It agreed to establish the ALO and approved its document and the ILO document.

Objectives of the ALO :

The ALO endeavors to enable the Arab society to promote its labor circumstances and develop, qualify, train and protect the Arab labor force through utilizing all available potentials and adopting the best performance methods and coordinating joint Arab efforts between the three production parties ( governments, employers and laborers).

The Organization Carries Out a Number of Activities to Achieve its Objectives Which Include :

1- Coordinating Arab efforts in the labor arena and in international conferences.
2- Developing and maintaining union rights and freedom.
3- Unifying laborers` legislations and labor conditions in Arab countries and preparing a vocational classification manual.
4- Conducting studies and research in the fields of manpower planning, ladies and juveniles work and the problems relating to industry, trade, services, agriculture, industrial security, small industries, laborers` culture, vocational classification, cooperative societies and production adequacy.
5- Offering technical support in the work field, drafting a plan of the social insurance system and vocational training and preparing an Arab labor dictionary.
6- Developing Arab human resources through manpower planning programmes and activities, fighting unemployment, providing women with proper job opportunities, facilitating movement of Arab laborers and according attention to the situation of Arab migrating laborers.

Sultanate’s Joining the ALO and its Participation in the Organization’s Activities :

Within the framework of re-affirming its policy to enhance international relations, particularly in the Arab and regional arenas and due to the country’s prominent position in international arena, the Sultanate of Oman’s government has joined the ALO which is one of the specialist organizations of the Arab League.

After joining the organization, the Sultanate has participated in all Arab labor conferences and positively contributed to the debate and study of reports aimed at developing Arab labor.

Achievements realized by Sultanate after Joining ALO Included the Following :

1- The Sultanate was selected as representative in the organization’s board from March 1988 to March 2000.
2- The Sultanate was nominated as representative of governments and employers in the finance council from March 2001 to March 2002.
3- The Sultanate was selected to represent governments in the ALO board from March 2002 to March 2004.
4- The Sultanate was selected to represent employers in the financial auditing council from March 2002 to March 2004.
5- The Sultanate participated in activities held by the Arab labor office and its training institutes.

The Ministry of Manpower has sought the assistance of several experts at the ALO to hold specialist seminars in the fields of employment, laborers` welfare and inspection and it utilized the technical cooperation programme offered by the organization to member countries.

The Sultanate’s government contributes to the organization’s budget by 1%. The Sultanate contribution to the financial year 2004 stood at US $ 32.500.