ILO Chief for Africa in Burkina Faso to strengthen strategic partnerships

ADDIS ABABA/OUAGADOUGOU (ILO News) – The Assistant Director-General and Regional Director for Africa of the International Labour Organization (ILO), Aeneas Chapinga Chuma, will make his first official working visit to Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso from 22-25 July 2015.

During his trip, Mr Chuma is expected to meet with the Prime Minister of Burkina Faso, the Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Security as well as senior representatives of the employers’ and workers’ organizations and the Office of UN Resident Coordinator.

The ILO is working closely with the tripartite constituents – government, employers and the workers’ organizations in Burkina Faso to promote the implementation of the “Decent Work Agenda” through the Decent Work Country Programme: 2012-2015.

Top priority areas of the Burkina Faso Decent Work Country Programme and ILO’s support include the promotion of decent jobs creation for the youth and the strengthening and extension of social protection.

Mr Chuma will also address the Ministerial session of “Knowledge sharing workshop on strategies for workplace compliance with international labour standards in countries of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU/UEMOA)”.

The ILO provided support to create the WAEMU Council on Labour and Social Dialogue (CTDS). This advisory body was set up to promote social dialogue among member states of the sub-regional organization and in West Africa in general.

Members of the West African Economic and Monetary Union are Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Niger, Senegal, and Togo. UEMOA member countries are working toward greater regional integration with unified external tariffs.