Nepali missions in labor destinations get more staff
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Amid complaints that the existing human resource was way less to handle problems of the ever increasing number of Nepali migrant workers, the government has made a significant increase in the number of diplomatic staff in the Nepali embassies in various labor destination countries.
The government has increased the number of embassy personnel in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Malaysia, Qatar, Israel and South Korea keeping in view the ever increasing number of Nepali migrant workers in these labor destination countries. Minister for Foreign Affairs Mahendra Bahadur Pandey had taken the initiative to increase human resource in the Nepali embassies.
There are about 700,000 Nepali migrant workers currently working in Malaysia; 500,000 in Saudi Arabia; 400,000 in Qatar; 300,000 in the United Arab Emirates; 35,000, mostly housemaids, in Kuwait; 25,000 in Bahrain; 13,000 in Oman; 25,000 in Israel; and 29,000 in South Korea. A large number of migrant workers routinely face various problems in these countries, and the existing human resource in the Nepali embassies was finding it difficult to handle the situation.
As per the new arrangement, the government has created additional four vacancies in Nepali embassy in Abu Dhabi, one in Riyadh, two in Kuwait City, three in Kuala Lumpur, five in Doha, two in Tel Aviv and two in Seoul. With the decision, the total number of diplomatic personnel including labor attaché has reached 11 each in Kuala Lumpur and Qatar, nine each in Abu Dhabi and in Riyadh, seven each in Kuwait City and Seoul, and six in Tel Aviv.
Among other things, lack of proper knowledge of local language of the destination country has been one of the major barriers in properly handling the problems faced by Nepali migrant workers. Keeping this in view, the government also created additional vacancies of local staff such as interpreters, public relations officer, driver and security guards in the embassies of these countries. This include four local staff in Doha, three in Kuala Lumpur, two each in Abu Dhabi, Riyadh, Kuwait City, one each in Muscat, Manama, Tel Aviv and Seoul.
Minister for Foreign Affairs Pandey said the decision to equip embassies with additional human resource was taken in order to better work for the welfare of Nepali migrant workers in these countries. “We have decided to increase human resource in these missions significantly. Yet, I don’t think this will be enough given the number of Nepali workers in those countries,” said Minister Pandey. He said government will take appropriate decision to gradually increase both human and financial resource in the embassy even in the days to come.
The decision by the government to increase human resource in the embassies of labor destination countries comes at a time when it is struggling to replace all hand-written passports with machine readable ones by November 24, 2014 as per the deadline set by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). The government plans to set up at least 50 online live enrollment centers in these countries to collect MRP forms from Nepali migrant workers and transmit the data electronically to the Department of Passport in Kathmandu for further processing.
Vacancies increased
- Embassy of Nepal in Kuala Lumpur
One section officer, two non-gazetted first class official (Foreign Service), under secretary (General Administration), non-gazetted official (Accounts) and two local staff - Embassy of Nepal in Abu Dhabi
One section officer, two non-gazetted first class official (Foreign Service), section officer (General Administration), non-gazetted official (Accounts), two local staff - Embassy of Nepal, Manama
One section officer (replacing under secy) of Foreign Service and one local staff - Embassy of Nepal in Muscat
One section officer (replacing under secy) of Foreign Service and one local staff - Embassy of Nepal in Riyadh
One section officer, one non-gazetted first class official (Foreign Service) and two local staff - Embassy of Nepal in Kuwait City
Under secy and a non-gazetted first class (Foreign Service) and two local staff - Embassy of Nepal in Tel Aviv
Under secy and a non-gazetted first class (Foreign Service) and one local staff - Embassy of Nepal in Doha
Two section officers, one non-gazetted first class official (Foreign Service) one under secy (General Administration), under secy (Account) and two local staff - Embassy of Nepal in Seoul
One section officer and one non-gazetted first class official (Foreign Service) and one local staff
(Originally published in the Republica, Nepal.)