The Saudi Arabian government has hit back at allegations that over 20,000 foreign workers have died since 2017 while working on construction projects in the Middle East.
In October, a documentary by U.K. broadcaster ITV alleged that 21,000 foreign workers had died and another 100,000 more have gone missing while working on Saudi Arabian megaprojects, with migrant workers from India, Bangladesh and Nepal being the main victims.
The projects, which include the 105-mile-long “linear city” called Neom, are part of Vision 2030, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman‘s flagship project. Saudi Arabia is spending more than a trillion dollars in an attempt to diversify the nation’s economy away from oil and toward tourism.
The documentary investigated working conditions at several sites in Saudi Arabia, claiming that workers were treated as “trapped slaves” and “beggars,” with several violations of work safety regulations reported.
Additionally, Nepal’s foreign employment board has received no explanation for the deaths of over 650 migrants in Saudi Arabia.
However, the Saudi Arabian National Council for Occupational Safety and Health, which manages regulations at the nation’s construction sites, strongly denied the allegations, saying that working conditions continued to meet international standards.
In a statement, the council said: “In reference to the misinformation circulating across various media platforms—particularly claims suggesting an increase in worker fatalities linked to working conditions in Saudi Arabia, accompanied by unfounded statistics lacking credible sources—the National Council for Occupational Safety and Health in Saudi Arabia unequivocally refutes these assertions.
“The council affirms the work-related fatalities in Saudi Arabia is 1.12 per 100,000 workers. This figure positions Saudi Arabia among the lowest globally in terms of work-related fatalities.
“The International Labour Organization [ILO] acknowledges this progress, highlighting on its official website that Saudi Arabia has made significant advancements in improving occupational safety and health and reducing workplace accidents at the national level.
“Similar commendations have been offered by other reputable international organizations, including the International Institute of Risk and Safety Management and the British Safety Council.
“Additionally, Saudi labor laws mandate that employers provide comprehensive health insurance that covers essential preventive, therapeutic, and healthcare services for all employees. Regulations also restrict work under direct sunlight during the summer months and establish working hours in accordance with international standards set forth in relevant ILO agreements. We emphasize the importance of verifying information and sourcing it from credible outlets.”
Newsweek contacted the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund, which manages the Vision 2030 projects, for comment via email.
Neom is currently the world’s largest construction site, with work on what could be the world’s largest building happening just a few miles south along the coast in Jeddah. A major influx of workers into Saudi Arabia began in 2017, when construction on the Vision 2030 projects began in earnest across the country.
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