ILO and Russia consider partnership and cooperation in Nigeria

Abuja (ILO News) – The Director of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Country Office, Abuja, Mr. Dennis Zulu hosted the Deputy Head of Mission of the Russian Embassy to Nigeria, Mr Sergey L. Chumarev at the ILO Office in Asokoro, Abuja on the 24th of February, 2016. The meeting was convened to identify possible areas for collaboration.

During the discussions, Mr Chumarev highlighted the Russian Embassy interest in the work of the ILO in Nigeria and how it was contributing to the attainment of Governments priorities. Implementation of international labour standards with focus on the ILO Seafarers Convention; labour migration and trafficking and unemployment particularly youth unemployment were identified as key strategic areas for potential cooperation. Mr Chumarev also sought information on the ILO’s efforts in supporting the Nigerian Government’s recovery interventions in the North-Eastern part of the country.

In response, ILO’s Director, Dennis Zulu informed the Deputy Head of Mission that the Federal Government of Nigeria has ratified the ILO’s core (8) conventions. He further highlighted the fact that the Maritime Law Convention 2006 had been ratified recently in 2013.

To ensure the implementation of these ratified conventions, Mr Zulu explained that the ILO provided technical support to the Federal Government in the review of Nigerian Labour Laws. Zulu further stated that the resulting bill from the law review exercise had been sent to the National Assembly for enactment some years ago.

The ILO Director also mentioned that ILO supported the government in the development of the draft Social Protection Policy; revision of the national Employment policy and in revising the methodology and concepts for calculating the unemployment rate in Nigeria.

The ILO was also involved in programmes promoting the employment opportunities for the youths by facilitating the training of graduates on entrepreneurship and sustainable enterprise development through its support to the Nigerian National Youth Service Corps.

With respect to the ILO’s support to the Government in the North East of Nigeria, the Director said that ILO implemented a project on Psycho-Socio counselling and HIV/AIDS for the Chibok community.

The ILO is also currently contributing to the on-going Economic Recovery Component of the Recovery and Peace Building Assessment (RPBA) of the North East. The RPBA is being conducted by the consortium of the United Nations, European Union and the World Bank. The results of the assessment will further inform ILO’s intervention in the North East.

In Russia, the ILO is involved in the development of social dialogue; social protection; employment development; occupational safety and health; gender equality in the world of work; HIV/AIDS at the workplace; and elimination of child labour.

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