U.S. and Qatar agree to jointly promote labor protection and combat human trafficking

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Qatar's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani have signed a letter of cooperation to combat the crime of human trafficking and implement “fair practices” in labor recruitment.

The foreign ministers of both countries have agreed to promote and implement measures to protect migrant workers, pledging to exchange expertise in the field of labor protection, including occupational safety and health and heat stress prevention, according to a State Department statement.

The United States and Qatar have also pledged to increase technical and knowledge exchanges to combat the crime of human trafficking by improving procedures related to the identification, referral and care of victims.

Meanwhile, Blinken and Bin Abdulrahman have expressed their intentions to build “a strong World Cup legacy,” as Qatar will pass the baton to the United States, who — along with Mexico and Canada — will host the World Cup in 2026.

In this regard, the letter signed by both parties reflects the willingness of the two governments to increase access for persons with disabilities to World Cup tournaments through “the involvement of organizations of persons with disabilities and civil society,” all “building on Qatar's successes in hosting the 2022 FIFA World Cup.”