Labour ministers from the GCC and Asia are to propose an action plan to end exploitation of expat workers from Asia at a meeting in Abu Dhabi, a report said.

The Abu Dhabi Labour Dialogue is the first-of-its-kind to be held in a major labour-receiving country.

The ministers have recommended the introduction within three months of an action plan aimed at 'preventing illegal recruitment practices' both at the country of origin and host countries, the AFP report said.

Gulf states are expected to agree with labour-sending Asian countries to join forces to fight labour abuse and improve the welfare of Asian workers.
 
The draft, expected to be endorsed soon, also calls for 'promoting welfare and protection measures for contractual workers and preventing their exploitation at origin and destination.'

The meeting in the Emirati capital builds on the Asian Regional Consultative Process on Overseas Employment and Contractual Labour, known as the Colombo Process.

Set up in 2003, the Colombo Process groups Afghanistan, Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Nepal, Pakistan, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam to initiate dialogue on overseas labour.