The ILO renews its cooperation agreement with the Association Internationale des Conseils économiques et sociaux et institutions similaires

GENEVA (ILO News) — The International Labour Organization (ILO) and the Association Internationale des Conseils économiques et sociaux et institutions similaires (AICESIS) reconfirmed their commitment to continue working together by renewing their cooperation agreement on Wednesday. Together, The partners will advance decent work and social justice through economic and social councils and social dialogue institutions.

The ILO and AICESIS first joined forces in 2000 to promote effective and inclusive social dialogue to help advance social justice and develop sustainable socioeconomic and labour policies.

Welcoming the renewed agreement, the ILO Assistant Director-General Governance, Rights and Dialogue, Manuela Tomei, said, “Today we are reiterating our commitment to advancing the rule of law and democracy at work and beyond as part of our common quest for social justice. Social dialogue is more than ever necessary in a world in which the appetite for listening to each other is dwindling and where the search for consensus is often seen as a defeat, not everyone’s victory. Through joint policy-oriented research, advocacy and capacity-building we intend to help rebuild trust in representative institutions and deliver on decent work.”

Throughout their cooperation, the ILO and AICECIS hosted multiple conferences and seminars aimed at strengthening the technical and institutional capacities of economic and social councils, as well as other relevant institutions. Participants adopted key declarations during such events, including the Athens Declaration on the role of Economic and Social Councils and Similar Institutions in combating inequalities in the world of work, adopted in 2023

The Economic and Social Council of Spain is set to host the next Joint ILO-AICESIS Global Conference in December this year.

AICESIS Chairperson, John Jacobs, underscored the strategic importance of collaboration, adding, “This agreement is ultimately a pledge to the people we serve. It is a commitment that, in the face of global uncertainty, we will stand firm for the values of decent work, social justice, and inclusive development. By renewing our cooperation, we are renewing hope – hope that through partnership, we can rebuild trust in institutions and deliver tangible improvements in people’s lives. We are saying to workers, to employers, to young people, and future generations: we hear you, and we are acting together on your behalf.”

The newly renewed cooperation agreement runs until 2031.