Updated

The United Nations labor agency has ended a potential investigation of Qatar after the 2022 World Cup host pledged to protect the rights of migrant workers.

The International Labor Organization says it closed a formal complaint procedure "concerning non-observance by Qatar of the Forced Labor Convention."

Qatari labor minister Issa bin Saad al-Jafali al-Nuaimi told the ILO Governing Body meeting that his government is "mindful to protect all migrant workers, including domestic workers."

The complaint process, opened in 2014, put pressure on Qatar to reform and end the "kafala" sponsorship system that binds workers to their employer.

Qatar relies heavily on a massive workforce of migrant workers from Asia to expand its infrastructure. It includes stadiums, hotels and transport projects linked to the 2022 World Cup.