ILO 2016 Directors’ retreat focuses on SDGs and African development agenda

VICTORIA FALLS (ILO News) – The Annual Meeting of field office Directors in the African region in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, highlighted the need for strategic implementation of ILO’s key priorities in the region, including youth employment, social protection, labour migration governance and support to fragile states, in the framework of the 2030 sustainable development goals and the Agenda 2063 of the African Union.

“In 2016, I see a year of implementation; a time to define our own agenda in Africa”, said the Regional Director of the International Labour Office (ILO), Aeneas Chapinga Chuma, emphasizing the fact the ILO 13th African Regional Meeting left the organization with 14 priority policy areas that should shape all future work plans ahead.

“Employment, notably youth employment: This, I believe remains the key to Africa’s development”, Chuma underlined by stressing ILO’s role in building the resilience of people and nations through employment-centred recovery and social justice promotion to prevent conflicts.

During the Retreat, directors of field offices in the region also debated on how best to serve the tripartite constituents (government, workers’ and employers’ organizations) in Africa by strategically engaging development partners and creating new partnerships for strong resource mobilization.

“Collaboration, Capital and Compliance inform our agenda with a balance between key operational matters with larger policy issues in Africa”, Chuma concluded.

ILO Directors of field offices in Africa, together with the Senior Management of Africa and top Senior Executives from Headquarters, presented briefs on performances and explored opportunities and strategies on way forward.