News on Director-General
News
ILO Director-General strengthens ties with Malawi
ILO Director-General Gilbert F. Houngbo concluded a visit to Malawi that strengthened cooperation on jobs, social protection and skills development while reaffirming the importance of tripartite social dialogue.
News
ILO Director-General reaffirms partnership with Namibia
ILO Director-General Gilbert F. Houngbo concluded a mission to Namibia that strengthened cooperation on jobs, social protection and social dialogue, while highlighting Namibia's role as host of the 15th African Regional Meeting in December 2026.
News
ILO Director-General supports labour reform and decent work in Bangladesh
Talks with the Prime Minister and tripartite partners focused on labour law reform, social dialogue, job creation and social protection as Bangladesh undergoes several transitions, including political and economic changes.
G7 Labour and Employment Ministers
ILO welcomes the G7 Social Presidency’s initiatives to promote quality jobs and strengthen decent work
ILO Director-General Gilbert F. Houngbo emphasized the need to anchor ongoing transformations in social justice and respect for fundamental principles and rights at work, thereby creating a level playing field.
“The future of work will not be determined by technology alone,” says ILO Director-General
At the opening of the 114th International Labour Conference, Gilbert F. Houngbo calls for a human-centred approach to artificial intelligence and social justice in a time of growing global uncertainty.
ILO Director-General commends Uruguay’s strong tradition of social dialogue during official visit
Gilbert F. Houngbo met with representatives of the government, employers and workers to advance tripartite cooperation ahead of the upcoming International Labour Conference.
Partnership
ILO strengthens its commitment to decent work in the Sahel
A mission by the ILO Director-General to Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger highlights the central role of decent work in promoting stability, resilience and inclusive development across the Alliance of Sahel States.
World Bank / IMF Spring Meetings 2026
Labour market fragilities grow as global shocks intensify, says ILO
Even as global growth appears steady, structural labour market weaknesses and escalating conflict in the Middle East threaten incomes and jobs for millions, Gilbert F. Houngbo warns at the IMF and World Bank Spring Meetings.
Media advisory
ILO Director General to strengthen partnerships for decent work in the Sahel
The Director-General of the ILO, Gilbert F. Houngbo, is embarking on a mission to the countries of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) from 5 to 15 April 2026. The aim is to strengthen partnerships to promote decent work, a cornerstone of stability...
IMO–ILO joint news release
Maritime Labour Convention at 20: The ILO and the International Maritime Organization reaffirm commitment to decent work at sea
Maritime Labour Convention milestone marked with renewed call for fair and sustainable global shipping, protecting seafarers’ rights.
OpEd
AI for people, applying technology for social good
Artificial intelligence must help advance social justice, inclusive work and equitable growth, explain the ILO Director-General and the Minister of Labour and Employment of India in a joint opinion piece published ahead of the AI Impact Summit...
Marrakech Global Framework for Action urges scaled implementation to end child labour
The framework, adopted at the 6th Global Conference on the Elimination of Child Labour, aims to accelerate progress and reaffirms the importance of prioritizing the elimination of child labour in international sustainable development frameworks.
Meeting of the EU Ministers for Employment and Social Affairs
ILO Director-General calls for fair employment to be at the heart of social justice
At the invitation of the Cyprus EU Council Presidency, the ILO Director-General addressed an informal meeting of the EU Ministers for Employment and Social Affairs and underlined the need to foster social justice and fair employment, which are the...
ILO Director-General urges governments to turn economic transformation into decent work
At the World Government Summit in Dubai, Gilbert F. Houngbo highlighted the central role of labour-market governance, skills and social justice in shaping inclusive growth in the digital and green transitions.
ILO Director-General urges a human-centred response to technological change and global labour market fragmentation
At the Global Labour Market Conference in Riyadh, ILO Director General Gilbert F. Houngbo highlighted the need for inclusive growth, a just transition and renewed social dialogue amid labour market disruption and geopolitical uncertainty.
World of Work Series: Employment and Social Trends 2026
Global job quality stagnates despite resilient growth
Challenges persist, especially for youth and women, the Employment and Social Trends 2026 report warns.
Oman’s labour reform momentum sets a strong example for the region, says ILO Director-General
Gilbert F. Houngbo commends Oman’s rapid progress on labour law implementation, social protection expansion and structured social dialogue during an official visit to the Sultanate.
Arab States strengthen labour governance through first regional tripartite workshop on international labour standards
The ILO Director-General took part in the meeting, where governments, employers and workers developed a shared understanding and capacity to apply international labour standards in a changing world of work.
G7 Labour and Employment Ministers
ILO urges bold G7 action to empower youth for future of work
ILO Director-General, Gilbert F. Houngbo, calls on G7 Ministers to tackle barriers, prepare young people for technological transformation, and create opportunities for their inclusion in labour markets.
G20 Leaders’ Summit
ILO welcomes G20 leaders’ recognition that decent work is central to inclusive growth
G20 Leaders’ Declaration recognizes employment as a central objective of economic growth and that good quality jobs and decent work must be at the heart of sustainable industrialization.
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