By Omoyeni Ojeifo
In a bid to strengthen the protection and welfare of migrant workers, Nigeria and the Philippines have begun consultations on the proposed establishment of a Migrant Workers’ Office at the Philippine Embassy in Abuja.
The proposed Migrant Workers’ Office, also referred to as a Labour Desk/Office, is envisaged as a platform for promoting the welfare, safety and protection of migrant workers, including issues relating to their rights and immigration status.
The proposal was discussed during a bilateral meeting between Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, and her Philippine counterpart, Ma. Theresa P. Lazaro, at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.
The meeting, convened at the instance of the Philippine side, took place on the sidelines of the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly and focused on strengthening bilateral relations and identifying new areas of mutually beneficial cooperation.
“With labour migration between Nigeria and the Philippines already ongoing, the proposal is expected to undergo further consultations with relevant stakeholders before it can be established,” the minister noted in a statement emailed to PerSecondNews, on Tuesday, by the Special Assistant on Communication and New Media, Dr Magnus Eze.
The consultations are expected to involve relevant departments of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Labour and Employment, the Nigerian Embassy in Manila and other Ministries, Departments and Agencies.
The process will seek to develop a framework that balances the interests of both countries while safeguarding the welfare and interests of Nigerians working and residing in the Philippines.
According to Odumegwu-Ojukwu, Nigeria attaches great importance to its relationship with the Philippines and sees opportunities to translate shared interests into economic and people-to-people partnerships.
“The proposed Business Council will provide a platform for our private sectors to deepen trade and investment, while our discussions on migrant workers underscore our shared commitment to ensuring that Nigerians and Filipinos living and working in each other’s countries are treated with dignity, protected under the law, and supported through appropriate institutional mechanisms,” she emphasized.
Beyond labour mobility, the two countries agreed to establish a Nigeria-Philippines Business Council as a structured platform for promoting trade, investment and private-sector engagement.
Fertiliser production, food security and liquefied natural gas were listed by the Ministers as priority sectors for stronger economic cooperation between Nigeria and the Philippines.
The two sides also agreed to work towards the next Nigeria-Philippines Bilateral Consultation, where further discussions on these and other areas of mutual interest will take place.
They proposed reciprocal ministerial-level visits during the first and second quarters of 2027 to deepen bilateral relations and advance areas of cooperation.
The discussions extended to education and human capital development, with both countries considering broader scholarship and student exchange programmes.
The two sides also explored facilitating the mutual recognition of educational certificates between Nigeria and the Philippines.
The meeting reaffirmed the commitment of both countries to expanding bilateral relations through economic cooperation, trade and investment, education, labour mobility and people-to-people exchanges.
Author
Leave a comment