KATHMANDU, June 5 (Xinhua) -- Nepali stakeholders have expressed concerns over the situation of Nepali workers employed in the Gulf nations after countries including Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain and Egypt cut off diplomatic ties with Qatar on Monday.
Saudi Arabia, Qatar and UAE were the three countries taking the largest number of Nepali migrant workers in fiscal year 2015-16, according to Department of Foreign Employment of Nepal. A total of 320,360 Nepalis reached these three countries for employment while a total of 3,146 reached Bahrain in fiscal year 2015-16.
Nepal's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it was monitoring the situation following the diplomatic stand-off among Gulf nations.
"We have instructed Nepali embassies in Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE and Egypt to assess situation for Nepali migrant workers," Bharat Raj Paudyal, spokesperson of MoFA told Xinhua on Monday.
According to Nepali recruiting agencies which send Nepali migrant workers to Gulf nations, Qatari companies which have presence in other Gulf nations and have employed Nepalis there might be in trouble.
"Question has arisen over what happens to Nepalis working in branches of Qatari companies in other countries which severed ties with Qatar," Rohan Gurung, general secretary of Nepal Association of Foreign Employment Agencies, told Xinhua on Monday.
Given the suspensions of flights between the two sides, Nepalis cannot travel to Qatar through for example, UAE with airlines like Emirate Airlines, Fly Dubai and Air Arabia cancelling flights to Qatar.
"Until Qatar Airlines and Himalayan Airlines which have direct air connectivity with Doha increase number of flights, movement of Nepali migrant workers to Qatar may come down," said Gurung.
However, Nepal's Ministry of Labor and Employment said that it is yet to assess impact of diplomatic stand-off between Qatar and other Gulf countries on the Nepali migrant workers.
"We have not seen much impact immediately because there are not many Nepalis who have to travel from one country to another for employment," said Govindamani Bhurtel, spokesperson of the ministry.
