TIP UPDATE: LABOR MINISTRY ADVISED KUWAIT LIKELY

C O N F I D E N T I A L KUWAIT 004007

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR G/TIP, NEA/ARPI

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/10/2015
TAGS: PHUM PREL PGOV KCRM KU
SUBJECT: TIP UPDATE: LABOR MINISTRY ADVISED KUWAIT LIKELY
TO REMAIN TIER 3; OFFICIAL REVIEWS PENDING LEGISLATION

REF: A. SECSTATE 163401

B. KUWAIT 3603

C. KUWAIT 3412

D. KUWAIT 3158

E. SECSTATE 108156

Classified By: DCM Matthew Tueller for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (C) DCM opened a September 10 meeting with Ministry of
Social Affairs and Labor (MOSAL) Acting Undersecretary
Mohammed Al-Kandari with a briefing on Kuwait's tier
reclassification status as part of the 2005 Trafficking in
Persons (TIP) Report. While reiterating that the White House
had not yet released an official determination, DCM informed
the U/S that the Secretary had recommended that Kuwait remain
Tier 3 but receive a full waiver of sanctions (ref A). While
Kuwait had taken steps to satisfy the action plan (ref E),in
the assessment led by G/TIP, there were unfulfilled items
regarding revisions to the labor law, establishment of
shelters and implementation of a new contract for maids.


2. (C) Al-Kandari, in the latest in a series of TIP-related
updates (ref C),reported that the Minister of Social Affairs
sent a letter September 6 to the Council of Ministers urging
passage of a law banning underage camel racing, in line with
other GCC countries, to replace the current ministerial
decree prohibiting the practice. In another legislative move,
the U/S said that the Council has already agreed to submit
the revised labor law covering expatriate workers except
domestic servants (ref D) to the National Assembly for
approval. The Parliament, scheduled to reconvene in October,
would probably address the labor law issue in November or
December, in Al-Kandari's estimation.


3. (C) In addition to a new three-party contract for maids
scheduled to take effect October 1 (ref B),Al-Kandari added
that some MPs, including independent Saleh Ashour, have
discussed introducing laws in the National Assembly, which
would protect maids from exploitation. He reported that
current Ministry of Interior (MOI) regulations ban abusive
sponsors from obtaining new maids by placing their names on a
"blacklist." In fact, he clarified, those on the blacklist
cannot process any MOI transactions or paperwork until they
reimburse the Ministry for the cost of repatriating the
abused under their sponsorship.

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