KUPANG (Joint Press Release): The International Labour Organization (ILO) and the Provincial Development Planning Agency (Bappeda) in Nusa Tenggara Timur (NTT) will organize a training workshop on employment diagnostic analysis from 18 – 20 January 2011 at Kristal Hotel, Kupang, NTT. The workshop is aimed to build capacity in employment diagnostic analysis among policymakers, social partners and academia on employment as part of the efforts to boost employment growth in NTT.

The workshop is also envisaged as a highly interactive exercise where the participants will take active part in identifying the main constraints to productive employment and the causes of these constraints. The outcomes of the workshop will subsequently provide the basis for a discussion on priorities for policy making, with a view to promote productive employment creation in an inclusive and sustainable manner at both the provincial and the district level.

The workshop is conducted as a follow-up to the visit of the Governor of NTT, HE. Frans Lebu Raya, to the ILO Jakarta Office in April 2010. During his visit, the Governor requested the ILO’s technical support to identify constraints to an inclusive growth of NTT province. Responding to this request, the ILO agreed to extend its Promoting Inclusive Job-Rich Growth Project based in Geneva to cover NTT. Funded by Swedish International Cooperation Agency (SIDA), the Project is jointly conducted by the ILO and Bappeda Kupang.

“The Provincial Government of NTT greatly appreciates the technical assistance given by the ILO to our province to assist the improvement and enhancement of economic development and employment as well as other employment aspects. We hope that this joint programme will help us in identifying employment opportunities and challenges that will, in the end, benefit the people of NTT,” said the Governor Frans Lebu Raya, commenting on the implementation of the joint workshop.

As part of the workshop, the ILO has prepared a report titled “The Dynamics of Employment, the Labour Market and the Economy in Nusa Tenggara Timur”. The report draws attention to increasing labour productivity and income from employment. This will require an intensification of agriculture and a development of the non-agricultural sectors, in particular agro-processing and other manufacturing, to provide strong value added chains in the economy and a more diversified labour market.

“The identification of underling critical constraints to inclusive job-rich growth can help the local government of NTT in formulating employment policies that can effectively address these issues at the provincial level,” said Mr Per Ronnas, Senior Employment and Development Specialist based in ILO Geneva, who is in charge of the ILO’s Promoting Inclusive Job-Rich Growth Project.

In addition, Mr El-Mostafa Benlamlih, UN Resident Coordinator for Indonesia, stressed the need for poverty alleviation and improvement in livelihoods in NTT, for which the creation of productive employment and decent work is a key factor. He, therefore, expects the outcomes of the ILO-Bappeda Kupang joint workshop to guide UN policy advocacy and programmes in NTT related to livelihoods.

NTT is one of the priority provinces of the UN in Indonesia as reflected in the United Nations Partnership for Development Framework (UNPDF) 2011- 2015 Indonesia. The ILO plays a leading role in coordinating UN agencies on livelihood related work in NTT.

For further information please contact:

Mr Yunirwan Gah
Project Coordinator in Kupang
Tel. +62380 820 766
Mobile: +62813 3900 1680
Email

Kazutoshi Chatani
Technical Officer
Tel. +6221 391 3112 ext. 119
Email

Gita Lingga
Media Officer|
Tel.: +6221 3913112 ext. 115
Mobile: +62815 884 5833
Email