On the sidelines of the 52nd Session of the Arab Labour Conference, Minister of Social Affairs and Labour Mukhtar Al-Yafai held discussions with Director-General of the Arab Labour Organization (ALO) Fayez Al-Mutairi, as well as a number of Arab labour ministers and heads of participating delegations, on areas of joint cooperation in employment, labour, and vocational training, and ways to develop workforce qualification programmes in line with the needs of Arab labour markets.

During his meetings, Minister Al-Yafai discussed the labour market needs of Arab countries in terms of various occupations, specializations, and skills, as well as the possibility of creating broader opportunities for qualified Yemeni workers and facilitating the procedures related to their employment. Such efforts, he noted, would contribute to creating new employment opportunities and strengthening the presence of Yemeni professionals and skilled workers in Arab labour markets.

The minister also discussed with the Director-General of the Arab Labour Organization, as well as ministers and heads of delegations, ways to benefit from leading Arab experiences in preparing and qualifying workers in accordance with the requirements of domestic and international labour markets. Discussions also covered the development of vocational and technical training programmes and aligning them with the actual needs of employers, in addition to exchanging expertise in labour market regulation, improving workforce efficiency, and enhancing workers’ competitiveness.

Minister Al-Yafai affirmed that the ministry is working to realign its training and qualification programmes with the transformations taking place in labour markets, with a particular focus on the occupations and skills that are most in demand. He underscored the importance of strengthening cooperation with the Arab Labour Organization and brotherly Arab countries and building partnerships that facilitate the exchange of information on labour market needs and establish more structured pathways for qualified Yemeni workers to benefit from available employment opportunities.