Qatar has promised the Indonesian government $50 million to help it cope with an influx of migrants from Myanmar and Bangladesh, amid a worsening refugee crisis that has roiled Asia.

The pledge was made yesterday by Qatar’s Emir, during a meeting in Doha with Indonesia’s foreign minister, Retno Marsudi.

According to QNA, Marsudi requested support in providing Rohingya refugees with relief, such as shelters.

Earlier this month, Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand drew global criticism for turning away and even shooting at boats of refugees that approached their shores. Many of the migrants had fled their home countries to escape persecution and poverty.

But last week, Indonesia and Malaysia consented to providing temporary shelter to those in need if the “resettlement and repatriation process will be done in one year by the international community,” Malaysian Foreign Minister Anifah Aman said in a joint press conference with Marsudi.

Maid ban

According to QNA, the Emir and Indonesian FM also “discussed a set of issues of mutual interest” yesterday.

Likely on the agenda was Indonesia’s new plans to ban its nationals from working as domestic help in Qatar and 20 other countries in the region.

The restrictions were announced earlier this month as a way to protect “human values and the dignity of the nation” and is expected to take effect in three months.

It would not apply to any nationals already working in Qatar, which is home to around 20,000 Indonesians working in domestic roles, according to Amnesty International.

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