Senior officials and experts from more than 33 Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC), African and Arab countries convened yesterday in Dar es Salaam for the 2nd Doha Dialogue on Labour Mobility between Africa and the GCC+. The gathering held on October 5-6 is focused on translating shared commitments into practical, measurable co-operation across the labour-mobility cycle. Co-chaired by Tanzania, Qatar and the African Union, the meeting brought together national delegations, the African Union Commission and leading international and regional organisations. Participants included the Executive Bureau of the GCC Council of Ministers of Labour and Council of Ministers of Social Affairs, the International Labour Organisation (ILO), the Arab Labour Organisation (ALO) and the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), alongside senior officials, specialists and civil society representatives. Opening the proceedings, HE the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Labour Sheikha Najwa bint Abdulrahman al-Thani welcomed delegates and thanked Tanzania for hosting the Dialogue.She also recognised the African Union Commission and partner organisations for their contribution to its preparation and success. HE Sheikha Najwa said Tanzania’s hosting of the second edition gave practical expression to the partnership between countries of origin and destination. Bringing the Dialogue to Africa, she said, demonstrated that it was not a one-sided exchange, but a collective undertaking in which participating states shared responsibility for shaping a more orderly, equitable and productive future for labour mobility. HE Sheikha Najwa noted that the Doha Declaration on Labour Mobility, adopted in May 2024, had established an important foundation for co-operation. She added that the initiative’s value should be measured not by the number of meetings convened or issues debated, but by the delivery of tangible, measurable and enduring results, with the immediate priority being to define areas for joint implementation, assign clear responsibilities and establish credible measures of progress. HE Sheikha Najwa called on delegates to move beyond established principles by identifying deliverable areas of collective action and agreeing how success would be assessed. Zuhura Yunus, Tanzania’s deputy permanent secretary for Labour, Employment and Relations at the Prime Minister’s Office, said the meeting offered an important opportunity to examine the principal challenges and develop practical recommendations for ministerial consideration and adoption. She called for closer collaboration among labour administrations in inspection, wage protection and occupational safety and health. Mohammed Hassan al-Obaidli, the director-general of the Executive Bureau of the GCC Council of Ministers of Labour and Council of Ministers of Social Affairs, commended Qatar’s initiative and its leading role in establishing and supporting the Dialogue. He also welcomed Tanzania’s hosting of the second edition and acknowledged the African Union Commission and other partners for sustaining its momentum. Al-Obaidli highlighted the progress made by GCC states in education and vocational training, anticipating future skills needs and aligning provision with labour-market demand. Established under an agreement between Qatar and the African Union, the Doha Dialogue is a voluntary, non-binding and state-led consultative platform. It enables African and GCC countries to exchange expertise and effective practice, strengthening regional co-operation and partnerships designed to improve labour mobility from Africa.