In January 2020, the Philippine government imposed a total ban on sending Filipino workers to Kuwait after the death of an overseas Filipino worker in Kuwait. This ban was lifted in February, accompanied by the First Joint Committee Meeting on the 2018 Philippines-Kuwait Agreement on the Deployment of Domestic Workers. During the meeting, officials discussed several protection measures for Filipino domestic workers that are to be institutionalized.
Malta and Libya have signed an MoU, valid for three years with an option to extend for an additional year, that sets up coordination centres, one in Malta and one in Libya, funded by Malta to coordinate and support regulation of migrant boats from Libya to European countries. It further stipulates that Malta propose to the EU Commission for increased financial support to strengthen Libyan border security including “for the interception and follow-up of human trafficking activities in the search and rescue region of the Mediterranean basin.”
Oman and Slovakia signed an agreement that will allow residents of either or both countries to not pay double tax with regards to income by allowing deductions from one’s payable tax. The agreement further defines specificities of eligible persons and relevant taxation under this agreement, additionally mentioning that stateless persons who are residents of either Oman or Slovakia will not be held to more taxes than a national of either country.
The UAE and the Philippines signed a MoU on Cooperation in Combating Human Trafficking and outlines the two countries’ cooperation to adopt procedures to combat human trafficking, share best practices, exchange information, promote human rights, and provide assistance in the protection, rescue, repatriation, recovery, and rehabilitation of trafficking victims in accordance with domestic laws.