ILO to hold public interactive event with candidates for the post of Director-General

GENEVA (ILO News) – A public interactive event with all candidates for the post of Director-General of the International Labour Organization (ILO) will be held on Wednesday, 23 September 2026.

The event will provide an opportunity for the candidates to present themselves and their vision for the ILO to the general public and to engage with representatives of the ILO’s tripartite constituents. It will be broadcast live on the ILO website, and a recording will be made available afterwards.

The candidates for the post are, in the order in which their candidatures were submitted, Mr Gilbert F. Houngbo of Togo, Ms Yolanda Díaz Pérez of Spain and Mr Javier González-Olaechea Franco of Peru.

The public interactive event, facilitated by the Chair of the Governing Body, is part of the process for the appointment of the next ILO Director-General. Following the event, the next stage in the process will be candidate hearings conducted in private by the ILO Governing Body on 9 November 2026. The election by secret ballot will take place on 16 November 2026, after which the result will be made public.

The term of the newly elected Director-General will begin on 1 October 2027.

The current Director-General, Gilbert F. Houngbo of Togo, has held office since 2022.

Further information on the appointment process, including information on the candidates, is available on the ILO website.