Egypt to Organize ‘Arab Labor Conference’ With Participation of 21 Countries

Minister Hassan Shehata held a meeting on Friday to prepare for the work of the forty-eighth round of the Arab Labor Conference (Egyptian Cabinet)
Minister Hassan Shehata held a meeting on Friday to prepare for the work of the forty-eighth round of the Arab Labor Conference (Egyptian Cabinet)
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Egypt to Organize ‘Arab Labor Conference’ With Participation of 21 Countries

Minister Hassan Shehata held a meeting on Friday to prepare for the work of the forty-eighth round of the Arab Labor Conference (Egyptian Cabinet)
Minister Hassan Shehata held a meeting on Friday to prepare for the work of the forty-eighth round of the Arab Labor Conference (Egyptian Cabinet)

Egypt is preparing to host this month the work of the forty-eighth round of the Arab Labor Conference (ALC) to be attended by the labor ministers, delegations, organization and unions of 21 Arab countries.

The conference will focus on issues of economic and social development, artificial intelligence and new work patterns, and the digitization and governance of social protection systems.

Egyptian Minister of Manpower, Hassan Shehata, discussed on Friday with a delegation from the Board of Directors of the Egyptian Trade Union Federation, the heads of trade unions, and workers’ representatives in the parliament and the Senate, the ongoing preparations for the ALC in its new version.

Following the meeting, Shehata affirmed that his ministry is keen to communicate and coordinate with all social partners.

According to a Cabinet statement, the Minister stressed that the Trade Union Federation is one of the most important players in the country’s production process.

“Preserving the Federation’s independence and activating its role, and involving it in all workers-related decisions, legislation and regulations come at the Ministry's priorities,” Shehata said.

He added that coordination, which respects all local, Arab and international standards, aims to assure more stability in the workplace, and therefore, increase production and benefit the development process.

In September, Egypt hosted the 47th ALC session, which highlighted issues of stimulating innovation and the spirit of competition, especially among entrepreneurs and owners of small and medium-sized enterprises, in addition to the path towards sustainable development and empowerment, and promoting innovation and digital transformation.

The attendees stressed the importance of promoting new and advanced mechanisms to achieve comprehensive Arab integration by facilitating intra-regional trade, the exchange of goods and services, as well as facilitating the movement of labor between Arab countries.

Separately, Shehata discussed on Friday the preparations to host the 43rd session of the Organization of the African Trade Union Unity (OATUU) General Council, expected to be held from 17 to 20 October with the participation of 100 trade union figures.



Heavy Israeli Strikes Shake Beirut’s Southern Suburbs

Flames rise after an Israeli airstrike in the southern suburbs of Beirut, Lebanon, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)
Flames rise after an Israeli airstrike in the southern suburbs of Beirut, Lebanon, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)
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Heavy Israeli Strikes Shake Beirut’s Southern Suburbs

Flames rise after an Israeli airstrike in the southern suburbs of Beirut, Lebanon, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)
Flames rise after an Israeli airstrike in the southern suburbs of Beirut, Lebanon, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)

Strong explosions in Beirut's southern suburbs began near midnight and continued into Sunday after Israel's military urged residents to evacuate areas in Dahiyeh.

Photos and video showed the blasts illuminating the southern suburbs, and sparking flashes of red and white visible from several kilometers away. They followed a day of sporadic strikes and the nearly continuous buzz of reconnaissance drones.

Israel's military confirmed it was striking targets near Beirut and said about 30 projectiles had crossed

from Lebanon into Israeli territory, with some intercepted.

The strikes reportedly targeted a building near a road leading to Rafik Hariri International Airport, and another building formerly used by the Hezbollah-run broadcaster Al-Manar. Social media reports claimed that one of the strikes hit an oxygen tank storage facility, but this was later denied by the owner of the company Khaled Kaddouha.

Shortly thereafter, Hezbollah claimed in a statement that it successfully targeted a group of Israeli soldiers near the Manara settlement in northern Israel “with a large rocket salvo, hitting them accurately.”

Israeli military spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said on Saturday that Israel had killed 440 Hezbollah fighters in its ground operations in southern Lebanon and destroyed 2,000 Hezbollah targets. Hezbollah has not released death tolls.

Israel says it stepped up its assault on Hezbollah to enable the safe return of tens of thousands of citizens to homes in northern Israel, bombarded by the group since last Oct. 8.

Israeli authorities said on Saturday that nine Israeli soldiers had been killed in southern Lebanon so far.