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Saudi Arabia has agreed to pardon Ugandan migrant workers detained in deportation centres and prisons, following negotiations led by Uganda’s Minister of State for Labour, Esther Anyakun Davinia, with Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Human Resources and Social Development, Eng. Ahmed Alrajhi.

Minister of State for Labour, Employment, and Industrial Relations, Esther Anyakun Davinia, has announced that Saudi Arabia has agreed to pardon Ugandan migrant workers who have been stranded in deportation centres and prisons across the Kingdom.

The decision follows a meeting held between a Ugandan delegation, led by Minister Anyakun, and Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Human Resources and Social Development, Eng. Ahmed Alrajhi, from October 14 to 17 in Riyadh.

“Many Ugandans have been languishing in deportation centres across Saudi Arabia. Central to our discussions was Uganda’s request for clemency for its citizens, including women with children born in the Kingdom and those detained for various offences under Saudi law, excluding capital offences such as drug trafficking and murder,” Minister Anyakun said.

She further highlighted that Saudi Arabia remains the largest destination for Ugandan migrant workers, with over 150,000 Ugandans employed there. A 2023 bilateral labour agreement ensures that the host country is responsible for safeguarding the rights of Ugandan workers. Migrant workers in the Middle East contribute approximately US$900 million annually to Uganda’s economy.

The minister added that the Saudi government has also committed to speeding up the repatriation process for these workers and supporting their reintegration. This development is expected to provide much-needed relief to Ugandan families anxious about the fate of their loved ones who left for Saudi Arabia in search of better opportunities.