Latest news with #WorldCup-related
Nahar Net
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Nahar Net
Human Rights Watch warns of migrant worker deaths in 2034 World Cup host KSA
by Naharnet Newsdesk 14 May 2025, 15:40 Human Rights Watch on Wednesday said grave abuses were being committed on giant construction sites in Saudi Arabia and warned the risks to migrant workers could increase as the building of stadiums for the 2034 World Cup gathers pace. HRW said "scores of migrant workers in Saudi Arabia die in gruesome yet avoidable workplace-related accidents, including falling from buildings, electrocution, and even decapitation". The NGO, which has studied nearly 50 cases of deaths in Saudi Arabia, said Saudi authorities had "failed to adequately protect workers from preventable deaths, investigate workplace safety incidents, and ensure timely and adequate compensation for families" including through life insurance policies and benefits to survivors. "The risks of occupational deaths and injuries are further increasing as the Saudi government ramps up construction work for the 2034 World Cup as well as other 'giga-projects'," HRW added. The Gulf kingdom was handed the right to host the 2034 World Cup at a FIFA Congress last December despite concerns about its human rights record, the risks to migrant laborers and criminalization of same-sex relationships. It was the only candidate. The NGO called on FIFA to ensure all work-related deaths in Saudi Arabia are properly investigated and that bereaved families receive compensation. - 'Long and burdensome' - FIFA has committed to establishing a workers' welfare system, which it says includes "dedicated mandatory standards and enforcement mechanisms applicable to all companies and workers involved in... World Cup-related construction and service delivery" in Saudi Arabia. But HRW said football's world governing body did not provide "details on concrete measures to prevent, investigate, and compensate migrant worker deaths such as risk-based heat protection measures or life insurance". The NGO claimed "FIFA is knowingly risking yet another tournament that will unnecessarily come at a grave human cost", referencing the decision to award the 2022 World Cup to Qatar. Similar concerns over workers' welfare dogged Qatar ahead of its hosting of international football's showpiece tournament. Amnesty International and other rights groups claimed thousands of migrant workers died in the lead-up to the 2022 tournament, though Doha has said only 37 workers on World Cup projects perished -- and only three in work-related accidents. HRW stated in its report that the majority of migrant worker deaths in Saudi Arabia are attributed to "natural causes" and are therefore neither investigated nor compensated. According to figures provided by the NGO, for example, 74 percent of 1,420 Indian migrant worker deaths recorded at the Indian embassy in Riyadh in 2023 were attributed to natural causes. HRW added "even work-related death cases categorized as such in a migrant worker's death certificate are sometimes not compensated as they should be according to Saudi law and international labor standards". "In migrant death cases that are compensated, the process is long and burdensome," the report said, providing an example of one such compensation process that took a decade to be completed. "My sons are 11 and 13 years old. When my husband died, they were 11 months and two years old. If we had received compensation right after his death, it would have provided so much relief," the wife of a deceased worker, who was not named, told HRW. In response to the report, FIFA shared with AFP a letter it sent last month to HRW from its secretary general Mattias Grafstrom. The letter says Saudi Arabia has "in the past years been investing heavily in the development of its society and economy", using international companies. Grafstrom notes that Saudi Arabia "has taken significant steps to reform its labor laws since 2018", including the abolition of parts of the kafala system which ties workers to their employers, and introducing standardized contracts for workers. The Saudi government, he says, has also committed to working with the United Nations' International Labor Organization (ILO) "on the further expansion and effective implementation of these reforms". "In line with its human rights commitments, FIFA seeks to play its part in ensuring strong protections for workers employed by third parties in the construction of FIFA World Cup sites," Grafstrom adds. AFP has also contacted the Saudi government for comment.
Int'l Business Times
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Int'l Business Times
Human Rights Watch Warns Of Migrant Worker Deaths In 2034 World Cup Host Saudi Arabia
Human Rights Watch on Wednesday said grave abuses were being committed on giant construction sites in Saudi Arabia and warned the risks to migrant workers could increase as the building of stadiums for the 2034 World Cup gathers pace. HRW said "scores of migrant workers in Saudi Arabia die in gruesome yet avoidable workplace-related accidents, including falling from buildings, electrocution, and even decapitation". The NGO, which has studied nearly 50 cases of deaths in Saudi Arabia, said Saudi authorities had "failed to adequately protect workers from preventable deaths, investigate workplace safety incidents, and ensure timely and adequate compensation for families" including through life insurance policies and benefits to survivors. "The risks of occupational deaths and injuries are further increasing as the Saudi government ramps up construction work for the 2034 World Cup as well as other 'giga-projects'," HRW added. The Gulf kingdom was handed the right to host the 2034 World Cup at a FIFA Congress last December despite concerns about its human rights record, the risks to migrant labourers and criminalisation of same-sex relationships. It was the only candidate. The NGO called on FIFA to ensure all work-related deaths in Saudi Arabia are properly investigated and that bereaved families receive compensation. FIFA has committed to establishing a workers' welfare system, which it says includes "dedicated mandatory standards and enforcement mechanisms applicable to all companies and workers involved in... World Cup-related construction and service delivery" in Saudi Arabia. But HRW said football's world governing body did not provide "details on concrete measures to prevent, investigate, and compensate migrant worker deaths such as risk-based heat protection measures or life insurance". The NGO claimed "FIFA is knowingly risking yet another tournament that will unnecessarily come at a grave human cost", referencing the decision to award the 2022 World Cup to Qatar. Similar concerns over workers' welfare dogged Qatar ahead of its hosting of international football's showpiece tournament. Amnesty International and other rights groups claimed thousands of migrant workers died in the lead-up to the 2022 tournament, though Doha has said only 37 workers on World Cup projects perished -- and only three in work-related accidents. HRW stated in its report that the majority of migrant worker deaths in Saudi Arabia are attributed to "natural causes" and are therefore neither investigated nor compensated. According to figures provided by the NGO, for example, 74 percent of 1,420 Indian migrant worker deaths recorded at the Indian embassy in Riyadh in 2023 were attributed to natural causes. HRW added "even work-related death cases categorised as such in a migrant worker's death certificate are sometimes not compensated as they should be according to Saudi law and international labour standards". "In migrant death cases that are compensated, the process is long and burdensome," the report said, providing an example of one such compensation process that took a decade to be completed. "My sons are 11 and 13 years old. When my husband died, they were 11 months and two years old. If we had received compensation right after his death, it would have provided so much relief," the wife of a deceased worker, who was not named, told HRW. In response to the report, FIFA shared with AFP a letter it sent last month to HRW from its secretary general Mattias Grafstrom. The letter says Saudi Arabia has "in the past years been investing heavily in the development of its society and economy", using international companies. Grafstrom notes that Saudi Arabia "has taken significant steps to reform its labour laws since 2018", including the abolition of parts of the kafala system which ties workers to their employers, and introducing standardised contracts for workers. The Saudi government, he says, has also committed to working with the United Nations' International Labour Organization (ILO) "on the further expansion and effective implementation of these reforms". "In line with its human rights commitments, FIFA seeks to play its part in ensuring strong protections for workers employed by third parties in the construction of FIFA World Cup sites," Grafstrom adds. AFP has also contacted the Saudi government for comment.
France 24
14-05-2025
- Politics
- France 24
Human Rights Watch warns of migrant worker deaths in 2034 World Cup host Saudi Arabia
HRW said "scores of migrant workers in Saudi Arabia die in gruesome yet avoidable workplace-related accidents, including falling from buildings, electrocution, and even decapitation". The NGO, which has studied nearly 50 cases of deaths in Saudi Arabia, said Saudi authorities had "failed to adequately protect workers from preventable deaths, investigate workplace safety incidents, and ensure timely and adequate compensation for families" including through life insurance policies and benefits to survivors. "The risks of occupational deaths and injuries are further increasing as the Saudi government ramps up construction work for the 2034 World Cup as well as other 'giga-projects'," HRW added. The Gulf kingdom was handed the right to host the 2034 World Cup at a FIFA Congress last December despite concerns about its human rights record, the risks to migrant labourers and criminalisation of same-sex relationships. It was the only candidate. The NGO called on FIFA to ensure all work-related deaths in Saudi Arabia are properly investigated and that bereaved families receive compensation. 'Long and burdensome' According to HRW, FIFA said it plans to establish a workers' welfare system "dedicated to mandatory standards and enforcement mechanisms for World Cup-related construction and service delivery in Saudi Arabia". But football's world governing body did not provide "details on concrete measures to prevent, investigate, and compensate migrant worker deaths such as risk-based heat protection measures or life insurance". HRW claimed "FIFA is knowingly risking yet another tournament that will unnecessarily come at a grave human cost", referencing the decision to award the 2022 World Cup to Qatar. Similar concerns over workers' welfare dogged Qatar ahead of its hosting of the tournament. Amnesty International and other rights groups claimed thousands of migrant workers died in the lead-up to the 2022 tournament, though Doha has said only 37 workers on World Cup projects perished -- and only three in work-related accidents. HRW stated in its report that the majority of migrant worker deaths in Saudi Arabia are attributed to "natural causes" and are therefore neither investigated nor compensated. According to figures provided by the NGO, for example, 74 percent of 1,420 Indian migrant worker deaths recorded at the Indian embassy in Riyadh in 2023 were attributed to natural causes. HRW added "even work-related death cases categorised as such in a migrant worker's death certificate are sometimes not compensated as they should be according to Saudi law and international labour standards". "In migrant death cases that are compensated, the process is long and burdensome," the report said, providing an example of one such compensation process that took a decade to be completed. "My sons are 11 and 13 years old. When my husband died, they were 11 months and two years old. If we had received compensation right after his death, it would have provided so much relief," the wife of a deceased worker, who was not named, told HRW.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Human Rights Watch warns of migrant worker deaths in 2034 World Cup host Saudi Arabia
Human Rights Watch on Wednesday said abuses were being committed on giant construction sites in Saudi Arabia and warned of the risks to migrant workers building stadiums for the 2034 World Cup. HRW said "scores of migrant workers in Saudi Arabia die in gruesome yet avoidable workplace-related accidents, including falling from buildings, electrocution, and even decapitation". The NGO, which has studied nearly 50 cases of deaths in Saudi Arabia, said Saudi authorities had "failed to adequately protect workers from preventable deaths, investigate workplace safety incidents, and ensure timely and adequate compensation for families" including through life insurance policies and benefits to survivors. "The risks of occupational deaths and injuries are further increasing as the Saudi government ramps up construction work for the 2034 World Cup as well as other 'giga-projects'," HRW added. The Gulf kingdom was handed the right to host the 2034 World Cup at a FIFA Congress last December despite concerns about its human rights record, the risks to migrant labourers and criminalisation of same-sex relationships. It was the only candidate. The NGO called on FIFA to ensure all work-related deaths in Saudi Arabia are properly investigated and that bereaved families receive compensation. - 'Long and burdensome' - According to HRW, FIFA said it plans to establish a workers' welfare system "dedicated to mandatory standards and enforcement mechanisms for World Cup-related construction and service delivery in Saudi Arabia". But football's world governing body did not provide "details on concrete measures to prevent, investigate, and compensate migrant worker deaths such as risk-based heat protection measures or life insurance". HRW claimed "FIFA is knowingly risking yet another tournament that will unnecessarily come at a grave human cost", referencing the decision to award the 2022 World Cup to Qatar. Similar concerns over workers' welfare dogged Qatar ahead of its hosting of the tournament. Amnesty International and other rights groups claimed thousands of migrant workers died in the lead-up to the 2022 tournament, though Doha has said only 37 workers on World Cup projects perished -- and only three in work-related accidents. HRW stated in its report that the majority of migrant worker deaths in Saudi Arabia are attributed to "natural causes" and are therefore neither investigated nor compensated. According to figures provided by the NGO, for example, 74 percent of 1,420 Indian migrant worker deaths recorded at the Indian embassy in Riyadh in 2023 were attributed to natural causes. HRW added "even work-related death cases categorised as such in a migrant worker's death certificate are sometimes not compensated as they should be according to Saudi law and international labour standards". "In migrant death cases that are compensated, the process is long and burdensome," the report said, providing an example of one such compensation process that took a decade to be completed. "My sons are 11 and 13 years old. When my husband died, they were 11 months and two years old. If we had received compensation right after his death, it would have provided so much relief," the wife of a deceased worker, who was not named, told HRW. AFP has contacted FIFA and the Saudi government for comment. nf/gj
Morocco World
02-05-2025
- Business
- Morocco World
UKEF CEO Tim Reid: Morocco Serves as Strategic Gateway to African Markets
Doha – British export credit is making inroads across North Africa with an ambitious financing package, as Morocco accelerates preparations for major sporting events and a wider continental expansion. From transformative rail projects and airport upgrades to new sports infrastructure, renewable energy, and green hydrogen initiatives, the country's booming development pipeline is drawing heightened interest from global financiers. Tim Reid, Chief Executive Officer of UK Export Finance (UKEF), recently conducted an official visit to Morocco in April. During his trip, the second to the country, Reid met with government officials and private sector leaders, seeking to identify new avenues for collaboration and investment. Granting an exclusive interview to Morocco World News (MWN), Reid outlined the agency's £5 billion commitment to Moroccan projects, positioning the kingdom as a strategic launching point for British commercial interests throughout Africa. This substantial financial envelope was announced in late 2022. It provides support for both public and private sector initiatives across the country. 'Whether you are a government official considering a new infrastructure project or a private company with ambition in energy efficiency, we can help. In return we ask for a commitment to sourcing at least 20% of the contract value from the UK,' Reid stated. The British export credit agency has pinpointed World Cup-related developments as a key focus area. This interest aligns with Morocco's massive $23 billion investment program triggered by the upcoming global sporting events. 'Typically, the kind of things we help with concern infrastructure like rail and roads, or energy such as new renewable projects,' Reid conveyed. 'In Morocco, we are focusing on World Cup related projects as we are keen to be part of this exciting adventure,' he noted, referring to Morocco's preparations to host the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations and the 2030 FIFA World Cup. Continental ambitions accelerate through Moroccan partnership Reid remarked that UKEF views Morocco not only as an important market in itself but also as a strategic entry point to broader African opportunities. 'Morocco is important to us for its own potential but also a gateway to Africa. Many Moroccan companies and banks have presence across the African continent which will allow UKEF to support further opportunities in African countries,' he explained. The agency has established a robust presence across Africa with country heads based in six countries: Morocco, Egypt, Kenya, Ghana, Côte d'Ivoire, and South Africa. With over 100 years of experience, it operates as the world's leading export credit agency. According to Reid, UKEF currently maintains a total exposure of £10 billion in Africa, providing approximately £1 billion annually to support various projects across the continent. François Pannetier, Regional Head for Africa, accompanied Reid during his Moroccan tour, indicating UKEF's serious commitment to expanding its African portfolio. The visit follows a prior stop in Egypt. 'Africa represents 1/3 of UKEF's global pipeline,' Reid disclosed, revealing the continent's strategic importance to British export finance operations. Reid acknowledged that while UKEF has not yet finalized any transactions with Moroccan companies, the agency remains engaged in 'productive discussions with Moroccan companies regarding a diverse range of sectors in the country and beyond, especially in West Africa.' Sustainable development at the center As part of his visit, Reid met with various stakeholders, including the University Mohammed VI Polytechnic (UM6P) in Benguerir, where discussions centered on energy and sustainability projects. He also held talks with Brahim Benmoussa, Secretary General of Morocco's Ministry of Investment, Convergence, and Evaluation of Public Policies, exploring collaborative opportunities both within Morocco and across Africa. UKEF's approach remains 'sector agnostic,' open to supporting projects in all sectors except fossil fuels, while maintaining flexibility regarding UK content requirements with the condition of utilizing the UK supply chain. The agency is particularly interested in sectors including renewable energy, water infrastructure, transportation, and digital transformation—areas that match Morocco's national development priorities. The growing economic relationship follows the UK-Morocco Association Agreement that came into force three years ago, which has helped boost bilateral trade to its highest level of £3.8 billion (approximately 46 billion MAD). Beyond the financial side, the Xlinks project represents another cornerstone of the Rabat-London partnership, aiming to deliver Moroccan solar and wind power to Britain through what would become the world's longest undersea cable. With a $29.9 billion total investment, it plans to establish 11.5 gigawatts of renewable energy capacity in Morocco's Guelmim Oued Noun region, connected via a 4,000-kilometer undersea cable to southwest England. On the ground, UKEF operations in Morocco are coordinated by Country Head Meriem Bennani, who focuses on identifying viable opportunities and building relationships with key stakeholders. Reid stressed that potential partners don't need to present perfect proposals, just viable projects and a willingness to discuss how British suppliers could provide support. Read also: Morocco's Southern Provinces: 'A New Green Growth Corridor to the UK' Tags: Morocco UK relationsTim ReidUK Export Finance
