As the Ebola virus disease outbreak continues to evolve and claim lives, we, as Officers of the Governing Body of the International Labour Office, wish to express our condolences to the families of the victims of the Ebola outbreak, the peoples whose livelihoods have been affected and express our admiration for those working to care for victims and contain the disease in West Africa including national health and humanitarian relief workers, educators and those providing burial services, as well as international health and humanitarian relief workers.

We express our deep concern regarding the far-reaching socio-economic effects of the Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak and the ensuing effects on the World of Work.

The ILO is spearheading, in cooperation with the WHO and a number of other organizations, a major information and guidance initiative on occupational safety and health aimed at supporting constituents’ efforts to protect men and women from EVD infection through response and preparedness at the workplace.

The ILO is also engaging in the efforts of the UN System EVD coordination mechanism and is responding to all requests from UNMEER. It stands ready to provide support in the affected locations in close cooperation with ILO tripartite constituents, as their populations strive to recover from the effects of the outbreak.

(Signed)
Apolinário Jorge Correia, Chairperson (Angola)
Jørgen Rønnest, Employer Vice-Chairperson (Denmark)
Luc Cortebeeck, Worker Vice-Chairperson (Belgium)