The United Nations in Kuwait Celebrates the International Migrants Day

Kuwait/18 December 2020- Today marks the International Migrants Day, a day dedicated by the United Nations (UN) to highlight the positive contributions that migrants bring to our societies. This year theme is Reimagining Human Mobility.

Since the beginning of 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the whole world, affecting all people including migrants.

Dr. Tarek El-Sheikh, Representative of the UN Secretary-General and Resident Coordinator to the State of Kuwait said that the UN in the State of Kuwait plays an important role in confronting the consequences of the pandemic.

“Our response is in several areas, including, helping the government overcome the social and economic impact and preparing society to face the upcoming challenges,  working to protect vulnerable groups, including migrant workers in difficult living situations, creating media content,  addressing development and health issues and developing policy papers, strategies and response plan in coordination with government institutions.”

“My message to the Kuwaiti society, foreigners in the country, and everyone who contributes to dealing with this pandemic: this is a time for solidarity, action, humanitarian support and respect for human rights. We cannot defeat this enemy without unity and agreement on a basic strategy. The UN is working hand in hand with all government and society to move forward to fully recover and build back better."

In commemoration of the IMD, Mr. Mazen AboulHosn, IOM Kuwait Chief of Mission said: “Now more than ever, the safety of our societies depends on the effective protection of the most vulnerable. Respect for the rights of all, including migrants, will maximize our success in curbing the pandemic and promoting an inclusive recovery.”

The International Migrants Day is an opportunity to acknowledge the significant role that migrants play in every society. In the State of Kuwait, migrants (foreign workers) were working on the front lines across different sectors that contributed to the efforts of the State of Kuwait in its response to the Covid-19 pandemic.”

Mr. Talal Al-Mutairi, Assistant Foreign Minister for Human Rights Affairs at the Kuwaiti Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stated that: “The international community witnessed exceptional circumstances that affected various aspects of life due to the repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Referring to the efforts made by the State of Kuwait in the past months, Mr. Al-Mutairi emphasized providing public safety to everyone without exception, including foreign workers.  Many work sectors have been suspended to ensure the availability of health requirements for foreign workers before returning to work by providing them with the necessary medical examinations. In addition, Al-Mutairi reflected on using media to help raise the awareness of  workers on the dangers of this pandemic on human health, and to shed light on the State of Kuwait’s efforts to support voluntary return of workers affected by the pandemic, in accordance with relevant procedures.  

On this occasion  we focus on the Global Compact for Safe and Regular Migration (GCM)[1], which provides an effective framework for international cooperation on the governance of international migration in all its dimensions,  and can be leveraged by states to respond to the COVID-19 crisis. Resolve for International cooperation and global partnership must be strengthened to develop and implement effective responses articulated in the GCM and guide collective action to support the COVID-19 response and recovery. It is important to mention the support of the State of Kuwait and the coordination of the United Nations Network on Migration in the State of Kuwait, which includes members of various United Nations agencies, supporting the government in implementing the objectives of this agreement. Well-governed migration can mitigate the negative impacts of COVID-19, stimulate strong socioeconomic recovery and build more inclusive societies that protect human rights and are better prepared to address future crises.

[1] The Global Compact is the first inter-governmentally negotiated agreement, prepared under the auspices of the United Nations, covering all dimensions of international migration in a holistic and comprehensive manner. See Global Compact for Migration: https://www.iom.int/global-compact-migration