INTERIOR MINISTRY OFFICIALS SAY TIP PROGRESS TO

C O N F I D E N T I A L KUWAIT 002395 SIPDIS SIPDIS NOFORN FOR NEA/ARP, INL/HSTC, AND G/TIP E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/19/2016 TAGS: PHUM ELAB PINR KU TIP SUBJECT: INTERIOR MINISTRY OFFICIALS SAY TIP PROGRESS TO CONTINUE: DOMESTIC LABOR CONTRACT IN PLACE BY OCTOBER REF: KUWAIT 921 Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Matt Tueller for reasons 1.4(b) and (d). ¶1. (SBU/NF) The Charge met June 19 with Brigadier General Ahmad Nawaf Al-Sabah, Assistant Undersecretary for Citizenship, Passports and Bidoon Affairs at the Ministry of Interior, to present the findings of the TIP report and to encourage the GOK to follow through on the promises it has made to improve conditions for domestic workers in Kuwait. Colonel Abdullah Al-Ruwaih, Director of Immigration, and Esam Nomani, Director of the Domestic Workers Administration, also attended the meeting. The Charge commended the GOK for its preliminary steps to improve the lot of domestic workers in Kuwait but emphasized that more work was needed, specifically suggesting that a shelter for domestic workers, standardized contracts, and a public awareness campaign were key steps that would help protect workers. Al-Ruwaih responded that the GOK is currently working to implement the standardized contracts, which would guarantee health care, a minimum wage of 40 Dinars (140 USD),daily rest periods, weekly days off that can be spent inside or outside the place of work, one month of paid vacation per year, and a ticket to the country of origin every two years. ¶2. (SBU/NF) In an earlier meeting Al-Ruwaih had said the contracts would be implemented in August (reftel). He predicted that the lull of the summer months would mean the contracts would not be implemented until September or October. Al-Sabah, who was appointed to his position in late May, was not aware of the shelter discussions. Al-Ruwaih reiterated earlier statements that the shelter is still under study in concert with the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor. Al-Sabah invited the Embassy to call Al-Ruwaih with any further questions, which is an important development since Al-Ruwaih is a key player on this issue and had previously been somewhat reticent to meet with the Embassy. Bio Note -------------- ¶3. (C/NF) General Al-Sabah is the son of Crown Prince Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah who was the Interior Minister before his selection as heir apparant. The General speaks limited English, having been educated entirely in Kuwait. He is personable. He did not seem well-informed on the issues, but he has been in the position for only a few weeks. Muhammad Khalaf, the Kuwaiti Ambassador to Indonesia and a passionate advocate of improving the situation of domestic workers in Kuwait, had said Al-Sabah's appointment would help the cause of domestic workers in Kuwait. ********************************************* For more reporting from Embassy Kuwait, visit http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait?cables Visit Kuwait's Classified Website: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/ ********************************************* TUELLER