ILO calls for a focus on job creation in the TICAD VI process
Creating decent and productive jobs should be at the heart of TICAD 2016, to be held for the first time in Africa, says ILO.
15 March 2016
ADDIS ABABA/DJIBOUTI (ILO News) – The International Labour Organisation (ILO) proposed that creating decent jobs, particularly for youth and women, be given specific attention in the TICAD VI process, a high-level policy dialogue between African leaders and development partners on the region’s future development agenda.
The call came on 14-15 March 2016 in Djibouti during the preparatory senior officials’ meeting of the Sixth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD VI) to be held for the first time – at the Heads of State and Government level – late August in Africa.
The Djibouti preparatory meeting discussed the main themes and the roadmap to the final Declaration to be considered during TICAD VI.
According to the ILO, which acknowledged the value of the TICAD process and the principle of dialogue and consultation, decent jobs creation could be achieved through:
The central importance of full and productive employment and decent work for inclusive and sustainable development is recognized in both the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development as well as the Agenda 2063 – “The Africa We Want”.
The Japan-Africa Summit comes also at a time when the African Union Commission is calling on all its development partners to align their engagement with Africa to the aspirations articulated in the strategic framework of Agenda 2063 and the First Ten Year Implementation Plan.
TICAD VI will be held on 27-28 August 2016 in Nairobi, Kenya under the auspices of the Kenyan and the Japanese Governments, in collaboration with the African Union Commission, UNOSSA, UNDP and the World Bank.
ILO fully aligns itself with the three priorities outlined in the draft Nairobi declaration of the TICAD process, which would contribute to an accelerated implementation of the Yokohama Action Plan.
The Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) was launched in 1993 at the initiative of the Government of Japan, with the dual objective of promoting high-level political dialogue between Africa and its development partners and mobilizing support in favour of African development initiatives.
As a founding member, Japan has a relationship with the ILO dating back to 1919. The Japanese Government holds one of ten permanent seats on the ILO Governing Body, and currently the Japanese employers and workers groups are also represented.
As well as being the second largest contributor to the ILO's budget the Japanese Government is also a major donor to technical cooperation projects.
The call came on 14-15 March 2016 in Djibouti during the preparatory senior officials’ meeting of the Sixth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD VI) to be held for the first time – at the Heads of State and Government level – late August in Africa.
The Djibouti preparatory meeting discussed the main themes and the roadmap to the final Declaration to be considered during TICAD VI.
According to the ILO, which acknowledged the value of the TICAD process and the principle of dialogue and consultation, decent jobs creation could be achieved through:
- improving the environment for sustainable enterprises especially micro, small and medium-sized businesses and providing them with necessary incentives to grow;
- promoting employability through investing in education, skills development, lifelong learning, vocational training, apprenticeships and internships;
- accelerating the transition from the informal to the formal economy;
- extending social protection by establishing and maintaining national social protection floors.
The central importance of full and productive employment and decent work for inclusive and sustainable development is recognized in both the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development as well as the Agenda 2063 – “The Africa We Want”.
The Japan-Africa Summit comes also at a time when the African Union Commission is calling on all its development partners to align their engagement with Africa to the aspirations articulated in the strategic framework of Agenda 2063 and the First Ten Year Implementation Plan.
TICAD VI will be held on 27-28 August 2016 in Nairobi, Kenya under the auspices of the Kenyan and the Japanese Governments, in collaboration with the African Union Commission, UNOSSA, UNDP and the World Bank.
Background information
On 31 January 2016, on the sidelines of the 26th African Union leaders Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, President Kenyatta announced that TICAD is promoting the principles of African ownership for the processes encapsulated in the African Union Agenda 2063, with a clear focus to provide decent and productive jobs for the African people, especially the youth.ILO fully aligns itself with the three priorities outlined in the draft Nairobi declaration of the TICAD process, which would contribute to an accelerated implementation of the Yokohama Action Plan.
The Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) was launched in 1993 at the initiative of the Government of Japan, with the dual objective of promoting high-level political dialogue between Africa and its development partners and mobilizing support in favour of African development initiatives.
As a founding member, Japan has a relationship with the ILO dating back to 1919. The Japanese Government holds one of ten permanent seats on the ILO Governing Body, and currently the Japanese employers and workers groups are also represented.
As well as being the second largest contributor to the ILO's budget the Japanese Government is also a major donor to technical cooperation projects.