Ugandans lose 35,000 jobs abroad due to COVID-19

Ugandans have lost about 35,000 employment opportunities in the last seven months, especially in countries in the Middle East.

The chairperson of the Uganda Association of External Recruitment Agencies (UAERA), Baker Akantambira, said the opportunities lost were in countries such as Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Iraq, Afghanistan and Bahrain.

The opportunities were lost due to the COVID-19 lockdown that halted labour starting in March this year.

"The labour recruitment companies have had to close their offices given the operational costs. They have spent a bigger part of the year without working," Akantambira said while addressing journalists at Hotel Africana on Friday.

He addressed the press conference to respond to the announcement by the gender ministry that it would consider the reopening of labour export in a phased manner.

The ministry said the first phase will start with the clearing of all migrant other than domestic workers.

Akantambira said the ministry had taken the decision without consulting labour recruitment companies through UAERA.