Dutch company involved in the exploitation of workers linked to the World Cup in Saudi Arabia
The Dutch construction company Strukton has been implicated in the exploitation of migrant workers during the construction of the Riyadh metro network, a vital project in preparation for the 2034 World Cup, according to a report by Amnesty International. Tens of thousands have lived in dangerous, low-wage, and exhausting conditions for over a decade.
The company worked on three metro lines in Riyadh between 2013 and 2021 with support from the Dutch government. Amnesty International criticized the government for encouraging companies to operate in Saudi Arabia without clear warnings about human rights risks, as it only provided vague and non-binding agreements in exchange for the support offered.
Amnesty International conducted interviews with 38 migrant workers from Nepal, Bangladesh, and India, who reported paying recruitment fees of up to 3,000 euros, working 60 hours a week for 1.70 euros per hour, and suffering from health problems due to extreme heat exceeding 40 degrees Celsius. One worker described the conditions as 'hell'.
Stratton was part of a consortium of main contractors with a contract worth one billion euros, and did not employ workers directly, but relied on temporary employment agencies in the supply chain. Amnesty International noted that the multiple levels of contractors in Gulf projects facilitate the concealment of exploitation and the shifting of responsibility.
Strukton responded that it will withdraw from Saudi Arabia and focus on Europe, describing the reported conditions as "very concerning" and "regrettable," confirming the difficulty of managing large international projects. The Dutch Ministry of Finance, which provided export credit guarantees worth 231 million euros for the project, also confirmed that comprehensive assessments were conducted at that time, with additional monitoring of high-risk projects implemented since 2022.