This page contains general information about the Abu Dhabi Dialogue but it is not its official website. For official information about the Abu Dhabi Dialogue please visit its official website at http://abudhabidialogue.org.ae.
Type: Inter-regional forum on migration (regions covered: Asia and the Middle East)
Formal association with regional or multi-stakeholder organization: none
Established: 2008
Objectives
The Ministerial Consultation on Overseas Employment and Contractual Labor for Countries of Origin and Destination in Asia or Abu Dhabi Dialogue (ADD) launched a collaborative approach to address development in temporary labor mobility in Asia. It was initiated to broaden the base for common understanding of issues and to influence practices and policies in the area of contractual labor for the region.
Current Thematic Focus
The Abu Dhabi Dialogue focuses on developing four key, action-oriented partnerships between countries of origin and destination for development around the subject of temporary contractual labor, based on a notion of partnership and shared responsibility:
- Developing and sharing knowledge on labor market trends, skills profiles, workers and remittances policies and flows, and the relationship to development;
- Building capacity for more effective matching of labor supply and demand;
- Preventing irregular recruitment and promoting welfare and protection measures for contractual workers; and
- Developing a framework for a comprehensive approach to managing the entire cycle of temporary contractual work that fosters the mutual interest of countries of origin and destination.
Chairing Country
- The chairmanship is term-based and rotates among the member States of the Abu Dhabi Dialogue. The following countries have recently chaired the Abu Dhabi Dialogue: Oman (2024-2025), Pakistan (2022-2023), United Arab Emirates (2019-2021), Sri Lanka (2017-2019), Kuwait (2015-2016), Philippines (2013-2014), UAE (2008).
- UAE Ministry of Human Resources & Emiratisation serves as ADD Secretariat.
- IOM served as the ADD Secretariat from its inception in January 2008 to April 2012. In the 2nd ADD Ministerial meeting in April 2012 a set of Interim Operating Modalities were established that called for the Outgoing Chair, Current Chair, and Incoming Chair to act as the ADD Secretariat and IOM's role transitioned to one of Observer and Thematic Expert.
- Members
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Members States (17 States, including 10 Countries of Origin and 7 Countries of Destination)
- Afghanistan
- Bahrain
- Bangladesh
- India
- Indonesia
- Kuwait
- Malaysia
- Nepal
- Oman
- Pakistan
- Qatar
- Saudi Arabia
- Sri Lanka
- Thailand
- The Philippines
- United Arab Emirates
- Viet Nam
Past Member States
- China
- Yemen
- Observers
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Observer States
- Switzerland
Past Observer States
- Republic of Korea
- Singapore
Observer organizations (2 organizations)
Other International Organizations and Civil Society Organizations are invited to participate in thematic ADD meetings on an ad hoc basis as observers and thematic experts.
- Selected Meetings
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The list of meetings is not comprehensive.
- February 10-11, 2024, Dubai, UAE, 7th Ministerial Consultation of the Abu Dhabi Dialogue
- February 13-14, 2023, Dubai, UAE, Abu Dhabi Dialogue Meeting
- October 18-19, 2022, Virtual Event, Senior Officials’ Meeting
- May 17, 2022, Virtual Event, “Strengthening RCP Contributions to and Cooperation on Objective 23 of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration”. Side-event at the 1st International Migration Review Forum (IMRF) together with Bali Process
- October 26-29, 2021, Dubai, UAE, The Sixth Ministerial Consultation
- October 25, 2021, Dubai, UAE, Senior Officials’ Meeting
- May 24-27, 2021, Virtual Event, Senior Officials' Meeting
- July 6, July 9, July 13, 2020, Virtual events, GFMD - Abu Dhabi Dialogue Regional Consultations
- October 16-17, 2019, Dubai, UAE, Senior Officials Meeting and 5th ADD Ministerial Meeting (all relevant documents are found here: http://abudhabidialogue.org.ae/library
- April 30, 2019 Dubai, UAE, Senior Officials' Meeting ( Agenda | Background Document | Joint Communiqué )
- April 29-30, 2019 Dubai, UAE, Abu Dhabi Dialogue (ADD) High-level Symposium: The Future of Work ( Agenda | Summary of Proceedings )
- May 7-8, 2018, Colombo, Sri Lanka, Senior Official's Meeting ( Joint Communiqué | Chair's Repor t)
- January 23, 2017, Colombo, Sri Lanka, Senior Officials 'Meeting
- January 24, 2017, Colombo, Sri Lanka, 4th Ministerial Meeting
- May 11-12, 2016, Dubai, UAE, Senior Officials' Meeting
- November 26-27, 2014, Kuwait , Senior Officials 'Meeting and 3rd ADD Ministerial Consultation
- May 22, 2014, Senior Officials' Meeting
- May 14-15, 2013, Abu Dhabi, UAE, Labor Mobility: Enabler for Sustainable Development
- April 19, 2012, Manila, Philippines, Second Ministerial Consultations of the Abu Dhabi Dialogue
- April 17, 2012, Second Senior Officials 'Meeting of the Abu Dhabi Dialogue
- January 25, 2012, Dubai, UAE, Senior Officials' Meeting to prepare for Abu Dhabi Dialogue Ministerial Consultation
- January 21-22, 2008, Abu Dhabi, Ministerial Consultation on Overseas Employment and Contractual Labor for Countries of Origin and Destination in Asia
- More events are available at http://abudhabidialogue.org.ae/en/regional-ministerial-consultations.aspx
- Selected Documents
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- Cooperating to Improve Temporary Labor Mobility Governance among Asian Countries of Origin and Destination: Inputs from the Abu Dhabi Dialogue to Inform the Development of a Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration.
- A Report on Proceedings - Abu Dhabi Dialogue Special Workshop on Operationalizing the Four Collaborative Programs approved by ADD Ministers, 5th - 6th July 2017
- The 4th Ministerial Consultation of the ADD - The Colombo Declaration 2017
- ADD Operating modalities
- Framework of Regional Collaboration, 2012
- Manila Communiqué, 2012
- Interim Guidelines for Operating Modalities, 2012
- Abu Dhabi Declaration [ EN ]
- Report of 2008 Consultations
- For additional ADD and ADD Process-related documents, please visit the ADD Document Library .
- Related Links
- Contact Information
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Website of the Abu Dhabi Dialogue: http://abudhabidialogue.org.ae