GENEVA (ILO News) The International Labour Office (ILO) has participated in more than 100 initiatives of South-South Cooperation, according to information provided during a panel discussion with representatives of donor countries , governments, workers and employers during the ILO’s 100th annual Conference in Geneva.

Representatives of India, Brazil and South Africa, the IBSA countries, reiterated their interest in enhancing their participation in South-South and Triangular Cooperation and to partner with the ILO in the advancement of the decent work agenda, based on international solidarity and sharing knowledge and successful experiences. Representatives of Nepal and China also participated in the event.

“Above all we need solidarity across countries, this is the real key of South-South and Triangular Cooperation,” said María Angelica Ducci, Executive Director of the ILO and Chair of the Panel Discussion, adding that these schemes also have brought “fresh air into development cooperation”.

Ms. Ducci informed delegates that “the ILO is formly committed to support initiatives using South-South and Triangular Cooperation modality to address specific topics such as child labour, social security, employment intensive investments, knowledge sharing and strengthening employers and workers organizations.”

The IBSA countries signed in November 2010 a Declaration of Intentions to support the Decent Work Agenda of the ILO and the creation of a South-South Cooperation programme in the ILO.

IBSA countries were represented at the panel discussion by Carlos Lupi, Minister of Labour of Brazil; Mallikarjun Kharge, Minister of Labour and Employment of India, and Luvuyo Ndimeni, Deputy Permanent Representative of South Africa to the UN in Geneva.

Bheki Ntshalintshali, Deputy Secretary General of COSATU in South Africa presented the experience of the Global Labour University, as a good practice of South South and Triangular cooperation, involving the three IBSA countries and Germany.

The Ambassador of Nepal to the UN in Geneva, Dinesh Bhattarai, shared experiences and best practices in the tourism sector involving horizontal cooperation for the benefit of Least Developed Countries (LDC).

Finally, the Ambassador of China, He Yafei, expressed the full involvement of his country in South South Cooperation and its support to the Decent Work Agenda and announced that his country will participate in South-South Cooperation programmes with the ILO.