Decision concerning the follow-up to the discussion on the enhanced programme of development cooperation for the occupied Arab territories

The Governing Body:

(a) took note of all relevant resolutions on the Middle East, and recalled United Nations Security Council resolutions 2712 (2023), 2720 (2023), 2728 (2024) and 2735 (2024), as well as the decision it had adopted at its 352nd Session (October-November 2024) concerning document GB.352/POL/3, which stressed the urgent need to take all necessary measures to advance decent work in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and respect relevant international labour standards;

(b) welcomed the ceasefire, expressed strong support for its full implementation, and requested all parties to work towards a permanent one bringing peace and stability for an inclusive and sustainable recovery and reconstruction;

(c) reiterated its deep concern over the critical humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, the mass displacement of workers and employers, and the severe impact of the ongoing crisis on the physical and mental health of workers, employers, and the civilian population, particularly women, children and other vulnerable groups;

(d) expressed its deep concern regarding the destruction of workplaces as a result of the ongoing conflict in Gaza, as well as the dismissals of, and non-payment and late payment of wages to, Palestinian workers, and the restrictions they face in the West Bank;

(e) reaffirmed the importance of granting access and free movement to ILO staff in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, as well as ensuring their safety and security;

(f) took note of the information provided in document GB.353/POL/5 and the progress made under the Office's emergency response plan and recovery programme to address the urgent needs of Palestinian workers and employers, and welcomed the outcome of the fund-raising meeting of 10 June 2024, held on the sidelines of the International Labour Conference, acknowledging the financial support already provided to the ILO programme by Member States, and commended the work undertaken so far by the Office in this respect, and requested the Director-General to convene, in coordination with the Palestinian constituents, a resource mobilization meeting, on the margins of the 113th Session of the International Labour Conference, in June 2025;

(g) called upon the Office to intensify its efforts towards the full implementation of the emergency response plan and recovery programme, in close coordination with the ILO constituents, to promote decent work and social justice for all Palestinians, including to address both immediate and long-term needs as part of the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip, as well as monitor the situation and assess its impact on the world of work, and update the Governing Body on the ILO's work through the standing item on the enhanced programme of development cooperation in the occupied Arab territories at its 355th Session (November 2025);

(h) requested the Director-General to continue offering his good offices to support Palestinian workers' and employers' rights and their access to workplaces in conditions of occupational safety and health, as well as to continue to address long-term priorities as highlighted in several of the Director-General's annual reports to the International Labour Conference, such as the issue of social security funds and permit system reform.

(GB.353/POL/5, paragraph 26, as amended by the Governing Body.)