The National, May 14, 2013
Impact of labour migration in spotlight at Abu
Dhabi forum
Ramona Ruiz
May 14, 2013
ABU DHABI // Policymakers, experts and
researchers from around the world are gathering in the capital today to discuss
issues surrounding migrant labour.
There are more than 200 million international
migrants travelling the globe, according to figures supplied by the World Bank,
meaning one in seven people is a migrant labourer.
These workers send home more than US$400 billion
(Dh1.47 trillion) to developing countries annually, exceeding the volume of
official aid flows.
Abu Dhabi's two-day Labour Mobility conference
will be opened by Saqr Ghobash, the Minister of Labour, who will highlight the
impact of foreign workers on sustainable development during his keynote address.
The conference is expected to build on the work
accomplished during the Abu Dhabi Dialogue and the Global Forum on Migration and
Development.
The lead session will examine topics such as
access to health and education, empowering workers, the impact of labour
mobility on families, human capital and employability.
I am looking forward to the presentations and
the interaction between the presenters and the audience," said Dr George Naufal,
an assistant professor of economics at the American University of Sharjah, who
will discuss the effects of remittances on the countries wages are sent to.
All the presenters are pioneers in the field of
migration and remittances literature. It will be very interesting to hear what
they are working on and the latest research on the link between migration and
development.
Government representatives from Bahrain, Kuwait,
Sweden and the Philippines will attend, as will officials from the UN, the
International Organisation for Migration, the World Bank and the Organisation
for Economic Co-operation and Development.
Farrukh Iqbal, country director for GCC countries
at the World Bank, will present a session and moderate another.
Reducing global poverty and increasing shared
prosperity are the major goals of the World Bank," he said. "Labour is the
principal asset of low-income groups everywhere.
Enhancing labour income is an important way to
share prosperity and reduce poverty.
Researchers from universities in India,
Bangladesh and the United States will present the findings of studies on the
impact of migrant labour. Academics from local institutions, including Zayed
University, the Emirates Centre for Strategic Studies and Research, and the
American University of Sharjah, will also contribute.
Dr Naufal is a research fellow at the Institute
for the Study of Labour. His primary research interests include labour
economics, with an emphasis on migration and remittances.
A major positive effect of remittance is
relaxing the financial constraint for receiving households," he said. "This
allows them to spend more on education and investments and encourages
self-employment that could lead to further job creation.
But remittances are also connected to inflation,
so can affect the exchange rate and hurt trade.
Money sent from abroad can lead to a lower supply
of labour in home countries, Dr Naufal said.
With the difference in exchange rates,
remittance income can be substantially higher than wages," he said. "This
ultimately leads to a decrease in the labour supply in the home country.
Countries could maximise the benefits of remittances by simply being ready for
it. They should have a more efficient financial sector and provide investment
opportunities.
Other discussions at the conference will include
engaging GCC countries in the global dialogue on migration and development.
rruiz@thenational.ae
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