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Uganda and Oman are currently in discussions to establish a bilateral labor agreement, following a visit by Uganda’s Minister of State of Labour to Oman. During the visit, discussions were held with Oman’s Labor Minister to explore opportunities for Ugandan workers in Oman and to draft a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for official recruitment.

The government of Uganda is in negotiations with the state of Oman to establish a bilateral labor agreement. This move came after the visit of Uganda’s Minister of State of Labour, Employment, and Industrial Relations, Esther Anyakun, to Oman. During her visit, Anyakun held a bilateral meeting with Oman’s Labor Minister, Mahad Said Ali Baawain, to discuss the opening of a new market for both semi-skilled and skilled Ugandans. The discussion also included the initiation of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to facilitate the official recruitment of Ugandans in Oman.

The plans to formalise the labor externalisation business were set in motion in July 2023 when Ingah Atamba Kutesa, the Honorary Consul of the Sultanate of Oman in Uganda, engaged in discussions with Oman’s officials in Muscat.

Atamba advocated for a bilateral labor agreement between Oman and Uganda and proposed the signing of an MoU for labor externalization between the two nations. The Foreign Ministry of Oman provided a draft of the MoU to the Honorary Consul, marking progress in the process.

The collaborative effort aims to address Oman’s workforce requirements while creating employment opportunities for Ugandans. The estimated annual remittances from migrant workers in the Middle East amount to about USD 600 million.

Ugandan officials highlight the advantages of external labour, such as improvements in the incomes of the households of migrant workers and the acquisition of new and positive work ethics and skills by Ugandan workers. The negotiations between Uganda and Oman signify a significant step towards fostering mutually beneficial labour relations between the two countries.