The Seventh Abu Dhabi Dialogue (ADD) Ministerial Consultation will start in Dubai on Saturday, 10 February 2024, on the sidelines of the World Government Summit, bringing together ministers of labour and human resources, along with senior officials, from member states.

Abu Dhabi Dialogue is a voluntary consultative mechanism that aims to provide a platform for dialogue on best practices between Asian countries – labour sending and receiving countries.

ADD aims is to support multilateral partnerships and enhance collaboration on the management of temporary contractual work cycles, as well as maximise benefits and advantages for contracted workers, employers, and the economies of labour-sending and receiving countries.

The UAE hosts the Permanent Secretariat of the Abu Dhabi Dialogue, launched in 2008.

This year’s edition brings together labour-sending countries in Asia: Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Nepal, Pakistan, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Vietnam. Representatives of receiving countries for labour will also be attending from the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Malaysia.

Representatives from the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), International Labour Organisation (ILO), International Organisation of Employers (IOE), European Union (EU), the private sector, and civil society will also take part in the Abu Dhabi Dialogue as observers.

On Saturday, eight introductory sessions will be held before the official opening of the Seventh ADD Ministerial Consultation, where senior officials from ministries of labour, employment, and human resources across various countries, along with experts and specialists, are scheduled to discuss three main themes, namely: How to enable member states to manage their labour markets and promote workers’ wellbeing using advanced technology; ways to enhance mobility of skilled workers between labour-sending and receiving countries, in line with future labour needs; and integration of gender equality into Abu Dhabi Dialogue member states’ employment policies.

Activities of the Seventh Abu Dhabi Dialogue Ministerial Consultation are scheduled to officially begin on Sunday, 11 February, where attending officials will discuss the takeaways from the working sessions to issue recommendations and make appropriate decisions in that regard.

The meeting will issue a Closing Statement that outlines priorities for the next round of the Abu Dhabi Dialogue, and hand the Chairmanship of the Dialogue to the Sultanate of Oman, who will chair the next edition.