Heinz Koller: “Decent work as part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is both a means and an end of sustainable development”
Assistant ILO Director-General addressed a High-Level International Conference on the theme “Policy of Neutrality: International Cooperation for Peace, Security and Development” held in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan. Presidents and Prime Ministers of many countries, heads of international organizations and numerous representatives of foreign media have arrived in Ashgabat to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the country’s Permanent Neutrality.
13 December 2015
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He recalled that the "the ILO was created in 1919 with the explicit purpose or preserving peace through social justice, humane conditions of labour and inter-dependence among nations". Today, social justice and peace remain a daily challenge as the world and in particular, the world of work is characterized by what the Director-General of the ILO recently described as a “widespread insecurity”, he said.
In this regard, Heinz Koller stressed the importance of strengthening labour market institutions, including collective bargaining and social dialogue between Governments, employers' and workers' organizations.
The ILO delegation that also includes Dimitrina Dimitrova, Director of the ILO Office for Eastern Europe and Central Asia, have met with Bekmyrat Shamyradov, Minister of Labour and Social Protection of the Population of Turkmenistan, Alexandre Dadayev, Chairman of the Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs, Govher Bayramova, Chairperson of the National Centre of Trade Unions and of the Central Council of Women's Union of Turkmenistan. The parties discussed a wide range of ILO-related issues, including the implementation of the UN 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development Goals (especially Goal 8 on decent work and economic growth), the employment and social benefits situation in Turkmenistan, the ILO Recommendation No. 204 on the transition from informal to formal economy, employment policy and the role of social dialogue. The issue of reporting and implementation of the eight fundamental ILO Conventions ratified by Turkmenistan was also raised.
Turkmenistan joined the International Labour Organization in 1993 and has ratified the eight fundamental ILO Conventions.