DAMMAM — An Ethiopian diplomat has refuted claims that domestic labor recruitment from his country would recommence, saying that salaries would have to increase before any recruitment deal could be made. Liaison Officer at the Ethiopian Embassy, Temsegen Omar, confirmed that his country has rejected calls for a return of domestic labor recruitment since it was suspended four years ago, and said that the current monthly salary of SR700 would have to change first. Omar did not specify a minimum wage for domestic labor, or the number of workers who are willing to resume work in the Kingdom, Makkah daily reported. He said that it may take up to six months for recruitment services to resume hiring labor, as the two countries first needed to finalize all legal affairs and sign an agreement. In future, Omar stressed, the acts of individuals who violate the Kingdom's laws should not be held against others. Doing so disrupts the recruitment process, he said. According to Omar, negotiations between the Saudis and Ethiopians about resuming domestic labor recruitment are ongoing, and that any agreement would cover the rights of domestic workers as well as Saudi employees. He also said any agreement would also include a training program for workers, supervised by the Ethiopian Ministry of Labor and academics in Ethiopian universities, that would include physical and psychological examinations, and training in Arabic, the nature of work, environmental and cultural aspects, and how to manage stress and solve problems. An anonymous source at the Saudi Embassy in Ethiopia said that the date for the fourth round of negotiations has not been set, and that avoiding recruitment from certain areas in Ethiopia is a crucial issue that is currently under consideration. Ethiopian domestic workers in Saudi Arabia have been complaining about various violations including unpaid salary, domestic abuses such as torture and rape.
