Freetown, 6th October 2026- Sierra Leone has called for stronger protections for migrant workers and greater transparency in international labour recruitment processes at the Second Doha Dialogue on Labour Migration held in Tanzania.
Speaking at the high-level forum on October 6, Sierra Leone’s representative joined 27 Labour and Employment Ministers from Africa and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries in discussions focused on the theme, “From Commitment to Action: Advancing Fair and Sustainable Labour Mobility between Africa and the GCC Countries.”
In his address, he advocated for fair treatment of migrant workers and urged destination countries to require employers to shoulder recruitment costs, arguing that workers should not be burdened with debts before earning their first wages.
“Workers should not incur recruitment-related debt before receiving their first salary,” he stressed, while calling for a more transparent and accountable labour migration system.
Ahead of the ministerial dialogue, the Sierra Leone delegation held bilateral discussions with the Governments of Qatar and Lebanon aimed at strengthening labour migration cooperation and enhancing protections for Sierra Leonean workers abroad.
During talks with Qatari officials on October 5, discussions centred on the full implementation of the bilateral labour agreement signed between Sierra Leone and Qatar in 2022, as well as opportunities to expand legal labour migration pathways for Sierra Leoneans seeking employment in the Gulf state.
A separate meeting with Lebanese authorities focused on renewing engagement around Sierra Leone’s first national initiative designed to protect Sierra Leonean migrant workers living and working in Lebanon.
The Doha Dialogue brings together African and GCC nations to address labour mobility challenges and opportunities, with a focus on creating safer, fairer and more sustainable migration systems that benefit both workers and host countries.
Sierra Leone’s participation underscores the government’s growing efforts to secure better working conditions, stronger legal protections and expanded employment opportunities for its citizens abroad.
