The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is thinking of recruiting more support staff at its mission in three prominent countries, where the number of Nepali migrant workers is high and so are the problems related to them.

MoFA is seriously considering increasing the number of Nepali staffs at embassies in Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Malaysia, where almost 1.5 million Nepalis work.

“We realise that more staffs are needed at our embassies in these countries so as to render service effectively,” MoFA Spokesperson Deepak Dhital told THT.

“We are considering creating necessary posts for Nepali staff so that it becomes convenient for Nepali workers there to approach them,” he added.

A recent fact-finding mission to Malaysia had concluded that problems related to Nepali workers in the south-east Asian country were not addressed due to a severe staff crunch at the Nepali embassy in Kuala Lumpur.

Following the Malaysian government’s campaign of deporting all illegal foreign workers in September, thousands of Nepali workers queued up at the Nepali embassy, which simply failed to provide travel documents and make available other protective arrangements to send them to Nepal. This was mainly due to “minimum service providers in comparison to service seekers”.

The same situation was seen in Saudi Arabia when the Gulf country launched its deportation campaign against all foreign illegal workers.

“It’s also necessary to create more diplomatic posts at our embassies, where, service-seekers are very high,” Dhital added. “However, providing service through local staffs would be quick, easy and economical.”

Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Malaysia, the three-most favoured job destinations for Nepali workers, collectively host almost two-thirds of Nepali migrant labourers.

Dhital, however, said it was yet to be decided as to how many staffs would be recruited in these missions to respond to the issues the Nepali population there have been facing. Recruiting local staffs would also be economical as they don’t demand a high salary, high accommodation facilities and other benefits and privileges that are required for diplomatic staff assigned from Nepal.

A Ministry of Foreign Affairs officer told The Himalayan Times that the ministry would consult the concerned stakeholders, including the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of General Administration and even Ministry of Labour in this regard before making a decision.

Published on: 24 October 2013 | The Kathmandu Post