Minister of Labor: Qatar Doubles Efforts to Expedite Implementation of Digital Government Initiatives

Cairo, September 18 (QNA) - HE Minister of Labor Dr. Ali bin Samikh Al Marri underlined that the State of Qatar is working to consolidate efforts to expedite the implementation of the digital government initiatives to achieve the ambitions in line with Qatar National Vision 2030, noting that the Qatari government placed the "Qatar Digital Government" project at the top of the priority list.
Addressing the 48th session of the Arab Labor Conference in Cairo Sunday, HE the Minister of Labor said that Qatar Digital Government seeks to provide a better life for the society, by adapting technology to propound innovative solutions that meet the needs of the public, as well as providing the tools needed by employees of government agencies to provide distinguished services, noting that efforts in the context of adapting technology have had a significant impact on reducing the adverse impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, as it reduced the deleterious effect, especially with regard to protecting workers and preserving their jobs.
He noted that the Ministry has launched a package of new electronic digital services, as part of its digital transformation strategy aimed at providing all services electronically without using paper, relying on digital solutions, and contributing to achieving excellence in performance to ensure the quality of services for workers and employers.
He said, "We must keep sharp lookout for the repercussions of digital transformation on employment issues in the Arab world, which forces us to change the approach to educational outcomes in universities and link them to the labor market." HE Dr. Ali bin Samikh Al Marri stressed that the State of Qatar is moving at a steady pace towards development and hard work to achieve development in all fields, as it included many legislative and institutional reforms, noting that the State of Qatar during the past years has implemented extensive reforms to promote labor laws and the protection of migrant workers and their safety.
His Excellency pointed out that MoL is working to improve the level of its services to protect workers' rights and adopt best practices in this field, praising the most important international labor organizations, which made Qatar a pioneer in the field of labor market reforms in the region.
HE the Minister added, "We are only 60 days away from the kickoff of World Cup in Qatar, which will be the first time that the largest football tournament in the world will be held on an Arab land. While we are proud of this Arab and Islamic achievement, we invite all brothers to attend and watch this common pride," stressing continued efforts during and after hosting the tournament with the aim of enforcing laws and protecting workers.
He expounded that Qatar has taken the initiative to open a dialogue with all international and regional partners to advance the labor market, thanking all those organizations, especially the Arab Labor Organization, for their support and joint cooperation and the International Labor Organization (ILO).
HE Dr. Ali bin Samikh Al Marri highlighted during his speech at the conference that COVID-19 pandemic has caused heavy losses and has stricken labor sectors badly all over the world in an alarming rate, noting that this compelled companies to streamline the use of digital technologies to attain a certain level of operation during that difficult period turning digital transformation into a reality.
He pointed out that in light of the progress, countries and institutions around the world continue to seek to adopt digital technologies in providing more information and services and automating their operations with the aim of serving customers and beneficiaries, advancing economic progress, and building more interactive relationships with individuals and institutions.
At the conclusion of his speech, HE the Minister of Labor affirmed that Qatar's firm position on the Palestinian issue represents the Arab position that is committed to the peace process being based on a comprehensive, just and lasting settlement based on international legitimacy, noting that this is what we seek in the Arab Labor Organization regarding joint Arab action in support of Palestinian workers in the occupied territories and improve their living conditions.
The Arab Labor Organization is holding the 48th session of the Arab Labor Conference in the Arab Republic of Egypt from Sept. 18 to 25, which is chaired by the Kingdom of Morocco, based on the labor system of the Arab Labor Conference.
The conference is attended by ministers of labor, heads and members of delegations from employers' organizations and labor unions in 21 Arab countries, representatives of the General Secretariat of the League of Arab States, representatives of Arab and international organizations, and a number of ambassadors and eminent personalities.
The 48th session confers about the rapid changes due to the tremendous progress in information and communication technology, which has led to fundamental changes in lifestyles in various fields, whether at the individual or family level, as well as the level of societies, the economy and the environment, which directly led to a change in the methods and means of implementing economic activities, and introduced a new type of economy known as the digital economy. (QNA)