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Middle East Edition
31st October 2024
 
THE HOT STORY
Qatar tackles labour market challenges
The Ministry of Labour in Qatar, represented by the Labour Market Information and Research Department, has participated in the ‘Economist Roundtable' organised by the Middle East Council on Global Affairs to address challenges in the country's labour market. Hussain Ali Al Hababi, Director of the Labour Market Information and Research Department, explained that this engagement is part of the ministry's commitment to the Qatar National Vision 2030, which aims to "address the skills gap in the private sector." The discussions focused on strategies to enhance efficiency and innovation in the local labour market, including the introduction of the ‘Enterprise Skills Survey' (ESS) to gather data on current and future skill needs across key economic sectors. This initiative aims to strengthen the competitiveness of Qatar's labour market and support sustainable development objectives.
DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION
Google appoints local champion of diversity and inclusion in the Middle East
A local businesswoman has been selected out of thousands of applicants to represent Google across the Middle East. As a Women Techmaker Ambassador, Dawn Kubicek, CEO of Leaders in Digital, will support women in the industry to learn, grow and innovate through a series of events and community-building campaigns. Google's global initiative to empower women to thrive in the tech space started in 2013 and has amassed over 82,500 members globally. The Women Techmakers Program has held over 1,260 events and has a presence in 193 countries.
HIRING
Oman conducts employment tests for over 7,000 job seekers
The Ministry of Labour in Oman has conducted written tests for over 7,000 job seekers vying for 557 diverse positions across 17 government agencies. Abdullah bin Sultan Al Sunaidi, Assistant Director for Employment and Replacement in the Government Sector, explained: "The tests were conducted through the central electronic employment system for 7,659 male and female job seekers." In addition to the written tests, personal interviews were held for 1,721 candidates. The job vacancies cater to various educational qualifications, including 302 positions for bachelor's degree holders, 64 for post-general diploma holders, and 191 for general diploma holders and below. Successful candidates receive immediate notifications to proceed with their appointment procedures.
TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT
stc Bahrain earns ACCA approved employer status
stc Bahrain has been recognised as an Approved Employer by the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) following a rigorous five-month assessment. The status underscores stc Bahrain's commitment to professional development and strengthens its partnership with ACCA in promoting workforce excellence. Eng. Fahad Alowaini, Chief Human Resources Officer at stc Bahrain, said: "Receiving the ACCA Approved Employer status is a significant milestone for us. It validates our dedication to continuous learning and growth within our team." The achievement aligns with Bahrain's Economic Vision 2030, which highlights the importance of cultivating a skilled national workforce.
STRATEGY
Visa to lay off around 1,400 employees and contractors
Visa plans to lay off about 1,400 employees and contractors by the end of the year, as the card giant seeks to streamline its international business. About 1,000 of the cuts are expected to eliminate technology positions, according to people familiar with the matter. Most of the other layoffs will focus on Visa's merchant sales and global digital partnership roles. A Visa spokesman said the company continuously evolves to better serve clients and support growth, “which can lead to the elimination of some roles.” He said the company expects to employ more people each year for the foreseeable future.
TAX
New e-invoicing system to simplifying tax reporting in the UAE
The Ministry of Finance (MoF) in the UAE has announced significant legislative updates, including the introduction of an e-invoicing system aimed at streamlining invoicing processes for businesses and government agencies. This new system is designed to facilitate quick invoice exchanges and enhance tax reporting efficiency to the Federal Tax Authority (FTA). The e-invoicing system will make invoicing "easier, more standardised, and automated," ultimately benefiting all parties involved, the MoF said.
INTERNATIONAL
UK campaigners urge government to set out plans to encourage people over 50 back into the workplace
More needs to be done to tackle barriers faced by older UK jobseekers, experts say. The rate of economic inactivity in the UK among 50 to 64-year-olds has stalled since the pandemic at about 27%, more than twice that of 25 to 34-year-olds. The government has been told that it will have to tackle barriers to work for older people if it wants to “Get Britain Working” – the title of a forthcoming government white paper. “[Government ministers have] set out a really strong agenda for what they’re going to do about getting the youth employment rate up, which is super important. We need to hear their plans for the older end,” said Emily Andrews, deputy director at thinktank the Centre for Ageing Better. She identifies two types of challenges: practical and cultural. The practical issues are those that workers can face at any age, but which can be prevalent among those aged over 50. The cultural challenges are the attitudes both of employers and workers. “You’ve got straightforward ageism and age discrimination. The opportunities that people give us are limited because of our age: so someone being told, ‘we think you’ve got too much experience for the job’. But there’s also internalised ageism. That’s the opportunities that we think we deserve,” Andrews explains.
Second high court rules that Japan's ban on same-sex marriage is unconstitutional
The Tokyo High Court has declared Japan's ban on same-sex marriage unconstitutional, marking the seventh such decision against the policy. The court described the ban as “a groundless legal discrimination based on sexual orientation,” emphasizing that it violates the constitutional guarantee of equality and individual dignity. The ruling follows a series of legal victories for plaintiffs advocating for marriage equality, and raising hopes within the LGBTQ community. Their main obstacle, Japan's conservative Liberal Democratic Party's ruling coalition, lost a parliamentary majority in Sunday's election and will likely have to compromise on more liberal policies supported by the opposition parties. Japan is the only member of the Group of Seven industrialised countries that does not recognise same-sex marriage or provide any other form of legally binding protection for LGBTQ couples. Marriage equality is largely supported by the general public in Japan.
Argentina hit by massive transport strike
Argentina on Wednesday experienced a one-day strike against President Javier Milei's austerity measures, notably his plans to privatise Aerolineas Argentinas. The protest, called by unions, aimed to highlight rising poverty levels since Milei's administration began. Over 1,800 trains were cancelled, affecting more than a million passengers, while Aerolineas Argentinas reported 263 disrupted flights impacting around 27,700 travellers. Pablo Moyano, a leader of the CGT union, observed: "A significant section of the population is having a hard time," as he emphasised the need to protect Argentina's transport sector from foreign ownership. Despite achieving Argentina's first budget surplus in 15 years, Milei's policies have led to a deep recession, with poverty levels rising to 52.9%. Inflation remains high, at 209% as of September.
European gas industry abandons deal to retrain workers for low carbon economy
The European gas industry has walked away from the Just Transition European Framework Agreement - a deal on retraining for hundreds of thousands of workers to prepare for a low carbon economy.
 


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