ILO and Sweden to strengthen cooperation
1 July 2015
Abuja (ILO News) – The International Labour Organization (ILO) and Sweden reiterated their willingness to strengthen their cooperation after the courtesy visit paid by the Swedish Ambassador to Nigeria, His Excellency, Svante Kilander, to the Country Office in Abuja.
The Ambassador was on an official visit to United Nations agencies in Abuja. He was received by Mr. Dennis Zulu, the Officer-In-Charge of the ILO Office for Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia, Sierra Leone and the Gambia and Liaison Office for ECOWAS.
In his welcome remarks, Mr. Zulu acknowledged the support of the Government of Sweden to the ILO globally and regionally (Africa in particular) and called for continuous support of Sweden to enable ILO implement more programs and projects that will impact positively on constituents and people.
Mr. Zulu presented two reports detailing the impact of projects and programs implemented with the support of the Government of Sweden. The documents presented to the Ambassador included (1) Sweden- ILO Cooperation and (2) SIDA-ILO Partnership Programme 2014-17 - Progress Report 2014.
In his remark, His Excellency Svante Kilander, acknowledged the mutual partnership between the ILO and Sweden, stating that it was in the spirit of the partnership that he was visiting the ILO to ascertain the ILO’s support to Nigeria and the countries under it. He informed the ILO of a follow-up meeting with the Swedish Ambassador to Switzerland from 6-8 August 2015.
In the briefing, Mr. Zulu, informed the Ambassador that the ILO Country Office Abuja was responsible for the five Anglophone countries of West Africa including Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia, Sierra Leone and the Gambia and the Liaison Office for ECOWAS. He listed some of the areas that the ILO has supported Nigeria to include:
Mr. Zulu informed Ambassador Svante Kilander the National Assembly could not pass into law the Labour bills which were submitted to it for enactment 10 years ago. He stated that the ILO was exploring the possibility of starting the process of reviewing the bills afresh in order to incorporate the contemporary issues in the labour bills.
The Ambassador was on an official visit to United Nations agencies in Abuja. He was received by Mr. Dennis Zulu, the Officer-In-Charge of the ILO Office for Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia, Sierra Leone and the Gambia and Liaison Office for ECOWAS.
In his welcome remarks, Mr. Zulu acknowledged the support of the Government of Sweden to the ILO globally and regionally (Africa in particular) and called for continuous support of Sweden to enable ILO implement more programs and projects that will impact positively on constituents and people.
Mr. Zulu presented two reports detailing the impact of projects and programs implemented with the support of the Government of Sweden. The documents presented to the Ambassador included (1) Sweden- ILO Cooperation and (2) SIDA-ILO Partnership Programme 2014-17 - Progress Report 2014.
In his remark, His Excellency Svante Kilander, acknowledged the mutual partnership between the ILO and Sweden, stating that it was in the spirit of the partnership that he was visiting the ILO to ascertain the ILO’s support to Nigeria and the countries under it. He informed the ILO of a follow-up meeting with the Swedish Ambassador to Switzerland from 6-8 August 2015.
In the briefing, Mr. Zulu, informed the Ambassador that the ILO Country Office Abuja was responsible for the five Anglophone countries of West Africa including Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia, Sierra Leone and the Gambia and the Liaison Office for ECOWAS. He listed some of the areas that the ILO has supported Nigeria to include:
- Nigeria Decent Work Country Programme II (DWCP II) – This is a framework on which the ILO support the government and people of Nigeria. DWCP II (2015-18) has been approved for implementation. Although it is being implemented already, it is expected to be launched by the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) later in the year.
- National Employment Policy (NEP) – Since ILO’s support is employment focused, it is imperative for Nigeria to have a sound employment policy that would guide the government in its effort to boost job creation and ensure an inclusive growth. The ILO is supporting the review of NEP, which is ongoing and is expected to be completed by the end of 2015.
- Support to Free Movement of Persons and Migration in West Africa – Support to Free Movement of Persons and Migration in West Africa (FMM West Africa) aims to maximize the development potential of free movement of persons and migration in West Africa by supporting the effective implementation of the ECOWAS Free Movement of Persons' Protocols and the ECOWAS Common Approach on Migration. FMM West Africa is co-funded by the EU and the ECOWAS Commission.
- The ILO also, in collaboration with International Organization for Migration (IOM), supported the Government to develop Labour Migration Policy.
- IPEC - The ILO’s International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour (IPEC) with the overall goal of the progressive elimination of child labour supported the strengthening of the capacities of countries to deal with the challenges of child labour and promoting a worldwide movement to combat child labour. Through this programme, many children have been withdrawn from child labour. While some of the withdrawn children were sent to school, others were empowered with skills and equipment to start their businesses. Nigeria now has a National Policy on Child Labour, List of hazardous child Labour in Nigeria and National Action Plan for elimination of Child Labour.
- Entrepreneurship Development – The ILO has been supporting the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) by building and strengthening their capacities for entrepreneurship development. The ILO is also working with the Central Bank of Nigeria and Nigeria Employers Consultative Association to empower women entrepreneurs through “Financial Inclusion for Women Entrepreneurs”
Mr. Zulu informed Ambassador Svante Kilander the National Assembly could not pass into law the Labour bills which were submitted to it for enactment 10 years ago. He stated that the ILO was exploring the possibility of starting the process of reviewing the bills afresh in order to incorporate the contemporary issues in the labour bills.