AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE INTERNATIONAL LABOUR ORGANISATION
AND THE ORGANISATION OF AFRICAN UNITY ⁽¹⁾

Preamble

Whereas all Members of the International Labour Organisation have, by the Declaration of Philadelphia embodied in the Constitution as a statement of the aims and purposes of the Organisation, solemnly affirmed that "all human beings, irrespective of race, creed or sex, have the right to pursue their material well-being and their spiritual development in conditions of freedom and dignity, of economic security and equal opportunity",

Whereas the purposes for which the Organisation of African Unity has been established include the co-ordination and intensification of the co-operation and efforts of its member States to achieve a better life for the peoples of Africa and to promote international co-operation, having due regard to the Charter of the United Nations and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,

The International Labour Organisation and the Organisation of African Unity,

Desirous of contributing, within the general framework of the Charter of the United Nations, the Constitution of the International Labour Organisation and the Charter of African Unity, to the effective accomplishment in Africa of those objectives which they have in common, in the light of their respective world-wide and regional responsibilities,

Have agreed upon the following

ARTICLE I
Mutual Consultation

1. The International Labour Organisation and the Organisation of African Unity will consult regularly on matters of common interest for the purpose of furthering the effective accomplishment in the African States of their common objectives.

2. The International Labour Organisation will inform the Organisation of African Unity of any plans for the development of its technical activities in the social and labour fields within the territories of the Members of the Organisation of African Unity and will consider any observations concerning such plans which may be communicated to it by the Organisation of African Unity with a view to accomplishing effective co-ordination between the two Organisations.

3. The Organisation of African Unity will inform the International Labour Organisation of any plans for the development of its technical activities in the social and labour fields and will consider any observations concerning such plans which may be communicated to it by the International Labour Organisation with a view to accomplishing effective co-ordination between the two organisations.

ARTICLE II
Reciprocal Representation

1. For the purpose of furthering the effective accomplishment in the member States of the Organisation of African Unity of the objectives which the two Organisations have in common, the International Labour Organisation will invite the Organisation of African Unity to be represented at meetings of the International Labour Conference and at meetings within or particularly concerning the African countries, members of the Organisation of African Unity, convened under the auspices of the International Labour Organisation, including the meetings of the African Regional Conference and the African Advisory Committee of the International Labour Organisation.

2. The Organisation of African Unity will likewise invite the International Labour Organisation to be represented at the meetings of its Economic and Social Commission as well as at all other technical and scientific meetings convened under the auspices of the Organisation of African Unity at which subjects for discussion include matters within the competence of the International Labour Organisation.

3. Appropriate arrangements may be made by agreement from time to time for the reciprocal representation of the International Labour Organisation and the Organisation of African Unity at other meetings convened under their respective auspices which consider matters in which the other Organisation has an interest.

4. The Director-General of the International Labour Office and the Administrative Secretary-General of the Organisation of African Unity will each appoint a Liaison Officer to maintain close, direct and continuing contact between their two Organisations with a view to ensuring the implementation of the provisions of the present Agreement.

ARTICLE III
Exchange of Information

1. The International Labour Organisation and the Organisation of African Unity will combine their efforts to obtain the best use of statistical and legislative information and to ensure the most effective utilisation of their resources in the assembling, analysis, publication and diffusion of such information with a view to reducing the burdens on the governments and other organisations from which such information is collected.

2. Subject to such arrangements as may be necessary for the safeguarding of confidential material, the fullest and promptest exchange of information and documents concerning social matters of common interest will be made between the International Labour Organisation and the Organisation of African Unity.

3. The International Labour Organisation will be kept informed by the Organisation of African Unity of developments in the work of the latter which are of interest to the International Labour Organisation.

4. The Organisation of African Unity will be kept informed by the International Labour Organisation of developments in the work of the latter which are of interest to the Organisation of African Unity.

ARTICLE IV
Technical-Co-operation

1. Whenever desirable for the development of their activities in fields of mutual concern, the International Labour Organisation and the Organisation of African Unity may each seek the other's technical co-operation where it is specially equipped to assist in the development of such activities.

2. Every effort will be made to meet any such request for technical co-operation in a manner to be agreed in such cases as may arise.

3. The International Labour Organisation and the Organisation of African Unity, upon request and within their available resources, shall assist each other as regards administrative, conference and general service staff, as well as in the provision of experts on economic, social and labour matters.

This assistance shall be furnished with due regard to the exclusively international character of the staff of the two Organisations, and to their obligations under the Constitution of the International Labour Organisation and the Charter of the Organisation of African Unity as well as to their respective staff rules and regulations.

4. Likewise, within the limits of their resources, the two Organisations shall assist each other in the professional training of the different categories of personnel specified in paragraph 3 above.

ARTICLE V
Supplementary Arrangements

The Director-General of the International Labour Office and the Administrative Secretary-General of the Organisation of African Unity will make appropriate arrangements to ensure close collaboration and liaison between the staffs of the two Organisations in matters of common interest and, in particular, between the Directors of the International Labour Organisation Field Offices in Africa and the General Secretariat of the Organisation of African Unity.

ARTICLE VI
Entry into Force

1. The present Agreement will enter into force from the date at which it is signed by the authorised representatives of the International Labour Organisation and the Organisation of African Unity.

2. The Agreement may be modified with the consent of the two parties.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Director-General of the International Labour Office, duly authorised by the Governing Body of the International Labour Office, and the Administrative Secretary-General of the Organisation of African Unity, duly authorised by the Council of Ministers of the Organisation of African Unity, signed the present Agreement.

Geneva, 25 November 1965

(Signed)
David A. Morse,
Director-General of the International Labour Office.

Addis Ababa, 5 November 1965

(Signed)
Diallo Tellit,
Administrative Secretary-General of the Organisation of African Unity.

***

Published in: ILO, Agreements concluded between the International Labour Organisation and other international intergovernmental organisations, Volume II, Agreements concluded with regional organisations, Geneva (no date).

1. In accordance with the provisions of Article VI, paragraph 1, this Agreement entered into force on 25 November 1965, the date on which it was signed by the duly authorised representatives of the two organisations. See document G B.163/I.O./D.5/8 and Minutes of the 163rd session of the Governing Body (Geneva, November 1965).