AYV News, June 10, 2024
The International Labour Organisation (ILO) has assured Sierra Leone of strengthening cooperation. Sierra Leone’s Minister of Employment, Labour and Social Security, Mohamed Rahman Swaray met with the Director-General of the ILO, Mr. Gilbert F. Houngbo, at the ILO headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland.
The purpose of the meeting was to extend felicitations from His Excellency President Dr. Julius Maada Bio to Mr. Houngbo, who is the first African to hold the position of ILO Director-General. Minister Swaray assured the ILO Director-General of the Sierra Leonean government’s support for his leadership and management team at the ILO.
In 2022, the Governing Body of the ILO elected Mr. Houngbo, the former Prime Minister of Togo, as the new ILO Director-General. He is the 11th Director-General of the ILO, with his five-year term beginning on 1st October 2022.
Sierra Leone’s Ambassador to Switzerland and Permanent Representative to the United Nations Office and other Organisations in Geneva, Dr. Lansana Gberie introduced the Sierra Leone delegation. He expressed gratitude for the warm reception and emphasized Sierra Leone’s continuous support for the ILO’s leadership to enhance cooperation.
Minister Swaray highlighted the purpose of the visit as an effort to strengthen bilateral partnerships and foster development cooperation between Sierra Leone and the ILO. He mentioned the government’s numerous reforms, referred to as the “Big Five Game Changers,” aimed at creating a conducive environment for investment and job creation. These reforms are intended to improve the lives and working conditions of workers in Sierra Leone.
The Minister praised the ILO for its technical support to Sierra Leone over the years and reiterated the government’s commitment to fulfilling its ILO obligations. He appealed for capacity building for the Ministry, support in resource mobilization, implementation of the Decent Work Country Program Phase 2, and advancement of the tripartite plus social dialogue forum, a platform for employers and workers to interface with government ministers.
In response, Mr. Houngbo thanked President Dr. Julius Maada Bio for his congratulatory message and assured the delegation of strengthening cooperation between the ILO and its Member States, including Sierra Leone. He expressed his willingness to deepen collaboration and continue capacity building with member states to promote and protect employees and employers for a productive working environment.
