Botswana - ILO dialogue on strenghtening cooperation in 2014/2015

The Honorable Minister of Labour and Home Affairs, Mr. Edwin Jenamiso Batshu, visited the ILO Pretoria Country office accompanied by senior officials from the ministry which included the deputy permanent secretary, the labour commissioner and the legal advisor. The objective of the visit was to strengthen the relationship between the Ministry and the ILO Pretoria Office and to provide insight into the functioning of the ILO in all its different facets and for the ILO to better understanding of the needs of the Ministry.

The meeting reviewed the status of the implementation of the Botswana 2011-2015 Decent Work Country Programme. The BDWCP, is centered on four country priorities; namely employment creation, particularly for women, youth, and people with disabilities; social protection (including social security; improved conditions of work and occupational safety and health and strengthening of workplace responses to the HIV/AIDS epidemic); promotion of tripartism and national social dialogue and the protection of workers' rights.

During the meeting the key areas of work for the 2014/2015 biennium were discussed namely the; establishment of Botswana’s National Pension Fund and the restructuring of the Ministry of Labour in collaboration with the Ministry of the Public Service, establishment of Botswana’s National Pension Fund.

The Minister highlighted his main concerns and one of them being that of Youth unemployment in Botswana which has become a threat to the social, economic and political stability of this nation. In this regard, he was pleased that the ILO has already started assisting Botswana in the development of the Botswana employment policy and the internship and apprenticeship policy.