South-South and triangular cooperation
Brazil and ILO launch new South-South cooperation project
Two countries in Africa and two in Latin America will benefit from a project to promote decent work in the cotton industry, which further develops South-South cooperation between the ILO and Brazil.
This amount includes $ 6.8 million for a new horizontal cooperation initiative announced Wednesday in Geneva at a meeting involving the Minister of Labour and Employment of Brazil, Mr Manoel Dias, and representatives of Brazilian employers' and workers' organization.
"We view Brazil as a strategic partner to promote decent work," said ILO Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean, Mr José Manuel Salazar, referring to a development cooperation programme that has for many years addressed issues such as child labour, forced labour, social protection, migration and other issues in beneficiary countries.
The new project for the cotton industry involves the largest amount of resources ever allocated in the framework of the Brazil-ILO programme. Mr Salazar said that it "addresses key issues for the ILO".
The new project will begin by identifying cotton-producing countries interested in participating in the initiative, and developing work plans based on the experience and knowledge that can be provided by both Brazil and the ILO to help improve working conditions in the sector, including key issues such as efforts to eradicate forced labour and child labour.
Minister Dias said that Brazil and the ILO had developed an "exceptional partnership", and stressed his country's determination to "share best practices with other developing countries facing similar challenges. "
According to a report presented in Geneva between 2005 and 2015 the program of South-South cooperation Brazil - ILO it has given $ 21.3 million, including beneficiaries to various countries in Africa, Latin America and Timor Leste.