Qatar to take 33,000 Cambodian workers

Cambodia has welcomed a proposal from Qatar to provide it 33,000 migrant workers for a variety of projects ahead of the 2022 World Cup to be held in the Gulf state's capital of Doha, local media reported Friday.

Cambodian Labor Minister Ith Samheng welcomed the proposal, which was raised by Saleh Al-Shawi, director general of Qatar's Labor and Social Affairs Ministry's Administration Department during a meeting here on Thursday.

Al-Shawi said his country has a number of big projects to finish before 2022 and needs as many workers as possible to finish them all.

"I would like to tell His Excellency that the Labor Ministry in Qatar has agreed to accept up to 33,000 Cambodian workers," he was quoted as saying to the minister by the Khmer Times.

"When I go back to my country, I will promote the workforce recruitment agencies in Cambodia for agencies in Qatar to inform employers or house owners in Qatar, so they can make contact with agencies in Cambodia to discuss skills and experience," he added.

Al-Shawi touted Qatar's "worker management" and "workers' rights" despite persistent reports of slave-like conditions faced by overseas workers in the Gulf state.

Ith Samheng said at the meeting that it was important for the two countries to work together and cooperate to help workers adjust to Qatar.

"I thank Qatar for allowing 33,000 Cambodian workers to come, which I think is only a starting point. We think this number will increase in the future if the work runs smoothly," he was quoted as saying by the newspaper.