Amnesty International: Qatar World Cup Stadium Workers Unpaid

A foreign worker at a supermarket sanitizes shopping carts in Doha, Qatar on 23 May 2020. EPA/NOUSHAD THEKKAYIL
A foreign worker at a supermarket sanitizes shopping carts in Doha, Qatar on 23 May 2020. EPA/NOUSHAD THEKKAYIL
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Amnesty International: Qatar World Cup Stadium Workers Unpaid

A foreign worker at a supermarket sanitizes shopping carts in Doha, Qatar on 23 May 2020. EPA/NOUSHAD THEKKAYIL
A foreign worker at a supermarket sanitizes shopping carts in Doha, Qatar on 23 May 2020. EPA/NOUSHAD THEKKAYIL

Migrant laborers at a stadium under construction for the World Cup in Qatar went unpaid for up to seven months, rights group Amnesty International revealed Thursday.

Around a hundred workers at Al-Bayt stadium have yet to be paid outstanding wages in full, the organization said following a months-long investigation.

Some received partial payments on June 7.

Steve Cockburn, Amnesty International’s Head of Economic and Social Justice, said: “This case is the latest damning illustration of how easy it still is to exploit workers in Qatar, even when they are building one of the crown jewels of the World Cup.

“Although recent payments will provide some welcome relief for workers, Qatar’s World Cup organizers told us they had known about the salary delays since July 2019. This raises the question of why Qatar allowed workers to continue working for months without pay.”

Responding to the findings, FIFA said it contacted Qatar’s Supreme Committee once it became aware of the case following Amnesty’s investigation, and is now working to ensure that outstanding salaries are paid.



Saudi Defense Minister Discusses Defense Cooperation with Malaysian Counterpart

Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman bin Abdulaziz. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman bin Abdulaziz. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Saudi Defense Minister Discusses Defense Cooperation with Malaysian Counterpart

Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman bin Abdulaziz. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman bin Abdulaziz. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman bin Abdulaziz reviewed with his Malaysian counterpart Mohamed Khaled bin Nordin on Sunday prospects of bilateral cooperation in the defense field between their countries.

During a telephone call, the officials discussed efforts made regarding current regional developments and a number of issues of mutual interest.


Saudi Arabia Participates in G20 Foreign Ministers' Meeting on Ebola Response

G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting on accelerating collective action to defeat Ebola. (SPA)
G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting on accelerating collective action to defeat Ebola. (SPA)
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Saudi Arabia Participates in G20 Foreign Ministers' Meeting on Ebola Response

G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting on accelerating collective action to defeat Ebola. (SPA)
G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting on accelerating collective action to defeat Ebola. (SPA)

Dr. Nouf Alnumair, deputy minister for international cooperation at Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Health, represented Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah at the G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting on accelerating collective action to defeat Ebola, held on the sidelines of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, the Saudi Press Agency reported Sunday.

The meeting brought together representatives of G20 countries, invited nations and international organizations, as well as senior officials from affected countries, to discuss strengthening international coordination, accelerating joint efforts to contain the Ebola outbreak, supporting response efforts in affected countries, and bolstering health systems to curb transmission and prevent cross-border spread.

Discussions highlighted the need to unify international efforts to address cross-border health threats, strengthen coordination among governments, international institutions, and health bodies, and accelerate support to affected areas, including surveillance, diagnosis, field response, and capacity building, while enhancing regional and international health preparedness.


Bin Farhan Discusses Regional and International Developments with Guterres

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres (SPA)
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres (SPA)
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Bin Farhan Discusses Regional and International Developments with Guterres

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres (SPA)
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres (SPA)

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan met with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in New York on the sidelines of the high-level week of the 81st UN General Assembly session. 

The two officials discussed areas of cooperation and regional and international developments of mutual interest. 

During the meeting, Prince Faisal expressed his appreciation to Guterres as he nears the end of his term, commending the efforts he made during his tenure. 

The Saudi Minister also held separate meetings with Algerian Foreign Minister Ahmed Attaf, Mexican Foreign Minister Roberto Velasco Alvarez, and Ghanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa. 

The meetings focused on key regional and international issues, with the officials exchanging views on current developments and international efforts to address them.