ADDIS ABABA – The governments of Ethiopia and Saudi Arabia have reached an agreement to raise the minimum monthly wage of Ethiopian domestic workers in Saudi Arabia to 1,000 Saudi Riyal or about 266 USD.
This is betokened during the recent assemblage held between Dr. Ergoge Tesfaye, Ethiopia’s minister of Labor and Social Affairs and her Saudi counterpart Ahmed bin Suleiman bin Abdul Aziz Al-Rajhi. The two countries have agreed to establish a dual unit which will monitor the execution of the agreements every six months, Saudi Medias reported.
The Ethiopian government will send qualified domestic workers who are medically suited to carry out specific chore in accordance with Saudi regulations, according to the agreement signed by both sides last May. Ethiopia also assured that these maids have no criminal record.
The Saudi Arabia Government on its part stressed its eagerness to defend the rights of employers and domestic workers. Minister of Labor and Social Development helps employers open bank accounts for workers so they can transfer monthly salaries to their country as stipulated in the contract.
Over the past few years, Ethiopian house servants in Saudi Arabia have been complaining about improper handling and human right abuses including corporal punishment and murder by their employers. In return, Ethiopian workers also comply with illegal enforcement.
In the meantime, the recent reform that Ethiopia has undertaken made the Middle East pay due attention to the Horn Africa. Precisely, following the restoration of peace between Ethiopia and Eritrea; Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have become the major allies of the two neighbors across the Red Sea and showed a willingness to consolidate socioeconomic and Geo-political ties.
The Ethiopian Herald, January 10/2019
BY LAKACHEW ATINAFU
