Saudi- New domestics hiring approved

(MENAFN- Arab News) JEDDAH: The Ministry of Labor gave approval to local recruitment offices to resume bringing in domestic workers from Ethiopia and three other countries which it did not name.
An official at the ministry said that authorities allowed this move in order to increase countries exporting domestic workers to the Kingdom responding to the rising demands of the local market.
The source who asked not to be identified added that the ministry discussed ways to benefit from domestic workers and agreed to start deliberations with official parties in these countries.
'The African countries are the ministry's priority as their workers have a greater ability to cope with conditions and life in the Kingdom with the lowest cost in comparison with workers from other countries' he said.
A local newspaper reported that the ministry had conducted negotiations with Ethiopian authorities to resume bringing in their workers after a two-year ban.
The news comes after earlier remarks by Ministry of Labor spokesman Tayseer Al-Mufarrej who said the ministry was ready to sign recruitment agreements with Kenya. Al-Mufarrej said that the Kenyan authorities are waiting to finalize their internal organizational issues stressing that there aren't any obstacles from the Saudi side. He added that the signing ceremony will take place as soon as the Kenyan party is ready explaining that the Labor Ministry is following up on that matter.
He said Kenya stopped sending workers to Middle Eastern countries per UN request after accusations of human trafficking refugees and disorganization of labor-exporting offices in the African state.
He pointed out that the Kenyan bodies are working to organize a labor-exporting office to protect the rights of both parties.