Wednesday May 7, 2025
Somalia’s Minister of Labour and Social Affairs, Yusuf Mohamed Aden, meets with Saudi Deputy Minister of Human Resources and Social Development, Dr. Abdullah bin Nasser Abuthnain, in Riyadh on the sidelines of the 7th Global Occupational Safety and Health Conference, May 2025. The officials discussed accelerating the implementation of a bilateral labour agreement aimed at expanding employment opportunities for Somali workers in the Kingdom. (SONNA)
Mogadishu (HOL) — Somalia and Saudi Arabia have agreed to accelerate the rollout of a bilateral labour agreement that would allow thousands of Somali citizens to seek legal employment in the Kingdom, a move Somali officials say is part of a broader strategy to address youth unemployment and expand access to overseas job markets.
Somali Minister of Labour and Social Affairs Yusuf Mohamed Aden met with Saudi Deputy Minister of Human Resources and Social Development, Dr. Abdullah bin Nasser, on Tuesday in Riyadh on the sidelines of the 7th Global Occupational Safety and Health Conference to reaffirm both countries' commitment to implement the deal swiftly. The ministers agreed to "accelerate" operational steps to open up formal migration pathways and implement the recently signed MoU, with Somalia pledging to launch vocational training programs and legal frameworks to prepare workers for foreign labour markets.
The agreement—signed in Riyadh in December 2024—establishes a formal framework for the recruitment of Somali domestic and professional workers in Saudi Arabia. According to the Saudi Press Agency, it includes provisions to regulate contracts, ensure monitoring and enforcement mechanisms, and protect both workers and employers.
Somalia's Labour Ministry views such partnerships as essential to addressing high domestic unemployment and building a skilled labour force that can engage productively in foreign markets. The ministry said it focused on developing legal and institutional systems that align with international labour frameworks.
Somalia has also pledged to introduce training programs and screening procedures to prepare workers for overseas employment. These measures include safety briefings, legal awareness, and health assessments designed to protect workers' rights and facilitate their integration into host communities.
The labour deal follows the deepening political and economic ties between Mogadishu and Riyadh. During a state visit in April 2024, Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman agreed to intensify cooperation across multiple sectors, including labour, infrastructure, energy, and trade. According to officials, the volume of trade between the two countries grew by 105% from 2021 to 2022.
The agreement comes amid expanding labour market demands in the oil-rich Gulf state. Saudi Arabia's labour market, already heavily reliant on foreign workers, is expected to grow further under Vision 2030 and preparations for the 2034 FIFA World Cup. Infrastructure plans tied to the tournament include the construction of 11 stadiums and nearly 200,000 hotel rooms, fueling labour demands across the construction, domestic, and hospitality sectors.
However, the agreement has come under fire from labour rights groups and Somali trade unions, who warn it lacks adequate protections for workers. The International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) and its Somali affiliate FESTU have condemned the pact, calling it a "modern-day form of slavery" and accusing both governments of bypassing meaningful social dialogue and ignoring key safeguards recommended by the International Labour Organization (ILO) in 2022.
"We condemn these agreements, rushed through under political pressure without consulting with workers' unions, which disregard international labour standards, undermine workers' rights and create the conditions for the systematic exploitation of tens of thousands Somali migrant workers," said ITUC Secretary General Luc Triangle.
Saudi Arabia has long faced criticism over its treatment of migrant workers, particularly under the kafala sponsorship system that ties employees' legal status to their employers. While recent labour reforms have aimed to address some abuses, Human Rights Watch and other advocacy groups report continued violations—including wage theft, excessive hours, restrictions on mobility, and physical abuse, especially among domestic workers.
Past deployments of Somali domestic workers to Saudi Arabia have triggered similar alarms. In previous years, reports surfaced of Somali maids being beaten, starved, and in some cases sexually assaulted by employers. Some countries, including Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, and Indonesia, have banned their citizens from working in the Kingdom following documented abuses.
Despite this, Somali authorities maintain that the current agreement differs from past arrangements. The Ministry of Labour said it sees this deal as part of a long-term strategy to build a future-ready workforce through global partnerships, while prioritizing worker safety and legal protections.
Still, the Federation of Somali Trade Unions (FESTU) has called on the Somali government to suspend the agreement until enforceable worker protections are adopted and has warned that failure to do so could expose Somali workers to the same fate as other exploited migrant labourers.