The ILO Assistant Director-General and Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific, Mr Yoshiteru Uramoto, visited Thimpu, Bhutan from 25 to 28 September 2013

The ILO Assistant Director-General and Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific, Mr Yoshiteru Uramoto, visited Thimpu, Bhutan from 25 to 28 September 2013, to meet members of the Government and attend a meeting of the South Asia Initiative to End Violence Against Children (SAIEVAC).

Mr Uramoto held talks with the Bhutanese Minister of Labour and Human Resources, H.E. Lyonpo Ngeema Sangay Tschempo, and other senior Ministry officials. Their discussions covered aspects of Bhutan’s labour law and the status of Bhutan’s application for ILO membership, including strategies for capacity building. Among the options discussed were training at the ILO’s training centre in Turin, and observer status at the 2014 International Labour Conference . Other topics including labour migration issues, international labour standards and the links with trade.

Mr Uramoto then attended SAIEVAC’s 3rd Technical Consultation on Eliminating Harmful Practices affecting Children based on Tradition, Culture, Religion and Superstition. The ILO and SAIEIVAC have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to allow them to work more closely on child labour issues. Mr Uramoto was briefed by the Director General, Dr Rinchen Chopel on progress, including the national mechanisms and processes that were already in place. Discussions also covered children and technology, identification and reporting. Dr Rinchen invited the Regional Director to attend a meeting on the Missing Child Alert, to be held in Bangkok in January 2014 .

Mr Uramoto also held meetings with senior officials at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with the UN Resident Coordinator, Ms Christina Carlson, and with the Chief Executive Officer of the (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Development Fund, Mr Karma.