Qatar’s Labor Minister Elected President of UN Labor Conference Despite Prior Worker Concerns

Ali bin Samikh Al-Marri, Qatar’s labor minister, was elected president of the United Nations International Labor Agency annual conference on Monday. His nomination was put forth by Asian and Pacific nations. The appointment comes years after intense global criticism of Qatar’s labor conditions for migrant workers, especially leading up to the 2022 World Cup.

Rights groups criticized Qatar for unsafe working conditions, worker exploitation, and reported deaths due to extreme heat. Qatari officials have claimed improvements in worker conditions and regulations, maintaining that accident rates are comparable to global standards.

Al-Marri’s unanimous election sparked comments from workers’ delegates, acknowledging Qatar’s reforms but questioning the country’s commitment to further address migrant workers’ plight. Catelene Passchier, head of the workers’ delegates, stated that a mutual understanding necessitating “re-engagement and speeding-up of the reforms” was crucial. Following this, the workers’ group accepted Qatar’s presidential nomination for the conference.

In his acceptance, Al-Marri acknowledged the need for additional progress and expressed commitment to further labor protection.