Dhaka urges OIC to protect migrant workers amid COVID-19

Bangladesh today urged the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to adopt holistic approach for protecting migrant workers residing in OIC member states especially in the Middle East amid COVID-19 pandemic that sent global economy into tailspin, reports BSS.

The OIC must adopt a holistic and inclusive approach in designing tools to address the crisis (job retention of migrant workers)
AK Abdul Momen

“The OIC must adopt a holistic and inclusive approach in designing tools to address the crisis (job retention of migrant workers),” foreign minister AK Abdul Momen said while addressing a foreign ministers level videoconference of OIC executive committee on “Consequences COVID-19 Pandemic and Joint Response”.

Apart from Bangladesh, foreign ministers of five other OIC executive committee member states — Turkey, Saudi Arabia, the Gambia, United Arab Emirates, and Niger — joined the meeting.

Mentioning that many OIC member states, including the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) are source of a large number of migrant workers in other OIC countries, Momen said these labour sending OIC states including LDCs like Bangladesh are particularly vulnerable on two fronts – domestic and overseas.

The Bangladesh foreign minister said OIC member states need to provide utmost importance on the issue of job retention of domestic and resident migrant workers so that sudden shock of unemployment can be cushioned and the social balance can be preserved.

“Perhaps, we may engage new and innovative tools to strengthen SMEs in the migrant hosting countries, which would offer win-win benefits for all,” he suggested.

He said, if the lockdown situation prolongs, starvation is imminent in many of the OIC member states, including amongst the migrant workers who are under threat of losing their jobs and salaries.

“Steady distribution of food and essential commodities amongst the most vulnerable groups, irrespective of their residency status, is of utmost importance now to protect lives,” Momen observed.

He urged the more developed OIC states to assist the LDCs, and other developing OIC member states — to supply medical equipments and supplies — in treating the COVID-19 patients.

Momen said the humanitarian organizations in member states may be provided with sufficient financial assistance, medical support to the Muslim migrant workers from LDCs and developing countries until the impact of the epidemic is over.

He also urged them to advocate for job retention of migrant workers to ensure their healthy livelihood.

Momen proposed for creating a voluntary COVID-19 response and recovery fund by the willing OIC member countries through Islamic Development Bank (IDB) and Islamic Solidarity Fund (ISF).

He said IDB could actively consider deferral and cancellation of loan payments of the OIC borrowing countries especially from the LDCs.

“Suitable projects may be submitted, particularly by LDCs in collaboration with charities or foundations, to seek assistance from the special account created under the ISF to help the vulnerable groups, including migrant workers – if they are not covered under the safety net programmes of the host governments,” he proposed.

Thanking the IDB for already laying out US$ 2.3 billion funding for strategic preparedness and response rrogramme for COVID-19 pandemic, Momen hoped that the bank would allow softer terms for such loans, particularly for LDCs.

The foreign minister also suggested for boosting of intra-OIC trade to help economic recovery.

Mentioning that the G20 has pledged US$ 7 trillion package for revival of the global economy, Momen said Saudi Arab as the G20 chair can assist OIC member states, particularly LDCs and resources constraint developing countries, to avail necessary assistance from that economic package.

About ensuring well-being of Muslim refugees around the globe, Momen underscored the need for collective actions of member states through adequate resource allocation for the exiles amidst this pandemic crisis.

Saying that any response plan would require critical food security and agriculture value chain development, Momen said Bangladesh readily agreed to establish the regional centre of excellence for rice, as proposed under the Islamic Organization for Food Security, to share its best practices.

“We may consider creating a global network of interoperable agricultural commodity markets across the OIC (under the Islamic Organization for Food Security -IOFS) – so that our farmers and allied businesses are connected and cushioned against a possible financial meltdown of a global nature,” he said.

To overcome the challenges of this pandemic, Momen said the OIC member states require a regional and global response based on unity, solidarity and compassion to overcome the economic hurdles left by this crisis.

The meeting comes as part of a series of measures taken and campaign launched by the OIC since the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic.

It was chaired by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, chair of the 14th Islamic Summit Conference with the presence of foreign ministers and OIC secretary general.