Dr Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed Mohamed, Prime Minister of the Federal Republic of Somalia and Mr. Aeneas Chapinga Chuma, ILO Regional Director for Africa

GENEVA ‒ The Federal Government of Somalia (FGS), the social partners of the country and the International Labour Organization (ILO) have signed an agreement establishing a Decent Work Programme for Somalia.

H.E. Dr Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed Mohamed, Prime Minister of the Federal Republic of Somalia and Mr. Aeneas Chapinga Chuma, ILO Regional Director for Africa signed the agreement at an official ceremony held at ILO headquarters in Geneva.

The Decent Work Programme sets out priority areas to be implemented by 2015, including the promotion of youth employment, strengthening labour market services, improving livelihoods through immediate employment creation and promoting small and medium enterprises. These areas are key to supporting the New Deal Compact for Somalia.

The ILO will provide technical support for the effective implementation of the Decent Work Programme, which is meant as a major contribution to peace and stability in Somalia.

In addition to the signing of the Decent Work Programme, the Government of Somalia deposited with the ILO the instruments of ratification for the following ILO conventions: Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention, 1948 (No. 87), Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention, 1949 (No. 98) and Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, 1999 (No. 182).

For more information or interview requests, please contact the ILO Somalia Programme, Tel: +25420/762-1150, infosomalia@ilo.org, the ILO Department of Communication, Tel: +4122/799-7912, communication@ilo.org.