Women Boarding a flight (Not the Gambian female migrants to Saudi Arabia)
By Buba Gagigo
The Ministry of Trade, Industry, Regional Integration, and Employment (MoTIE) has confirmed that the first batch of twenty-two (22) Gambian female migrant workers departed for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on Monday, 17th February 2025.
“In a significant step for the Bilateral Labour Agreement between The Gambia and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Hon. Baboucarr O. Joof, Minister of Trade, Industry, Regional Integration and Employment (MoTIE) on Monday, 17th February 2025 presided over a farewell ceremony for twenty-two (22) Gambian women recruited as domestic workers in Saudi Arabia,” the Trade Ministry said.
The Ministry further disclosed that a second batch of twenty-three (23) Gambian women is scheduled to depart for Saudi Arabia on 27th February 2025.
“Held at his ministry’s conference room, the event marks the first deployment of workers under the agreement signed in 2023 and the second batch of workers comprising twenty-three (23) women are expected to leave for Saudi Arabia on the 27th February, 2025. Minister Joof encouraged the women by emphasizing the importance of this economic advancement opportunity and highlighted the government’s commitment to ensuring their safety and well-being while abroad,” the statement continued.
According to the statement, the Minister assured that the government, in collaboration with licensed agencies, would closely monitor the welfare of the workers and provide them with the necessary support throughout their stay in the Kingdom. He also urged the workers to remain law-abiding, respect their Saudi employers, and report any concerns or complaints to the staff of the Gambian Embassy in Saudi Arabia, the Ministry of Trade, or the licensed agencies.
Hon. Joof described the occasion as significant, not only for the workers and their families but also for The Gambia. He emphasized that the agreement offers a promising opportunity for Gambians to secure employment and support themselves and their families.
It is worth recalling that during the 2023 Africa-Arab Summit in Saudi Arabia, The Gambia and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia signed two key agreements: the Bilateral Labour Agreement for the Recruitment of Domestic Workers and the Bilateral Labour Agreement for the Recruitment of Skilled Workers. These agreements aim to provide a structured and regulated framework for the recruitment and employment of Gambians in Saudi Arabia, with provisions covering fair wages, favourable working conditions, and other essential protections.