ILO mourns death of former Director-General Francis Blanchard

GENEVA (ILO News) – Francis Blanchard of France, who served as Director-General of the International Labour Office during the turbulent and transitional years 1974 to 1989, died on Wednesday, 9 December 2009 at the age of 93.

ILO Director-General Juan Somavia expressed his deep sorrow and said he felt "a profound spiritual bond with Francis Blanchard, the principal architect of the Organization’s expansion in the 1970s and 1980s, a guardian of its universality, a champion of its struggle to promote human rights and a leader in expanding the fight against poverty and for better working conditions.”

Mr. Blanchard joined the ILO in 1951, where his first assignment was as deputy chief of the Manpower Division. In 1968, Mr. Blanchard was appointed Deputy Director-General with responsibility for technical cooperation and regional activities. Two of the ILO's major new tasks were brought under his supervision - providing assistance to developing countries and planning the decentralization of the ILO's activities. In November 1973, the Governing Body appointed him Director-General.

Mr. Blanchard participated in the ceremonies marking the 90th anniversary of the ILO in May 2009 and was also present at the International Labour Conference in June where the President of France, Nicolas Sarkozy, paid tribute to his distinguished legacy as Director-General of the ILO.

Mr. Blanchard oversaw the expansion of ILO technical cooperation programmes world wide. He also played a major role in Poland by giving his full support to the legitimacy of the Solidarnosc independent trade union based on respect for ILO Convention No. 87 on freedom of association.

Francis Blanchard was at the forefront of efforts to ensure dialogue between the ILO, the World Bank and the IMF, particularly during the policies of structural adjustment during the 1980s. It was also through his personal leadership, that the ILO and many other international agencies became actively involved in strategies to overcome poverty.

Mr. Blanchard retired from the ILO in 1989 after 38 years of service. He was born in Paris on 21 July 1916. Following his retirement he lived in France.