Algerian Minister kicks off ILO Directors' Meeting in Africa

ALGIERS/ADDIS ABABA (ILO News) – Mohamed El Ghazi, Minister of Labour, Employment and Social Security of Algeria and member of the Governing Body of the International Labour Organisation (ILO), shared his country's experience on social security at the Annual Meeting of field office Directors in the African region.

"My presence among you and that of my colleagues, members of the government, is an expression of the Algerian support to the ILO Objectives (…)", El Ghazi said in the presence of Algerian Ministers, Senior Officials and UN representatives.

Algeria has been elected for a term of three years (2014-2017) as a member of the Governing Body of the International Labour Office (ILO), a tripartite structure involving government representatives, employers and trade unions.

"Employment promotion and the fight against unemployment constitute a major concern of the Government", the Minister underlined adding that "Algeria has registered social security as a major basis of its economic development strategy".

On his second official visit to Algeria, Aeneas Chapinga Chuma, ILO Assistant Director General and Regional Director for Africa, emphasized that "Algeria has made significant and impressive advances in many areas, ranging from employment promotion, social protection and labour inspection", underscored.

"There is evidence of mature and institutionalized social dialogue (…) in Algeria. Tripartite dialogue resulted in the development and signature of a national pact on economic and social growth in February 2014. I take this occasion to congratulate you on this achievement, which the ILO will look to replicate in other countries in the African region", Chuma stated.

From 5-7 February, the ILO meeting will address issues related to decent work, employment promotion, labour migration, and the extension of social security coverage to workers, as well as social dialogue.

"It is certain that during the course of our meetings, we will be able to outline a consensus on main priorities, select integrated domains and operating mode of intervention, and define mechanisms of coordination and cooperation between our various structures both in the field and at HQ level", concluded Mohamed Ali Deyahi, Director of the ILO Office for Maghreb countries and host of the 2015 retreat of ILO Directors' Meeting in Algiers.