Government, ILO to strengthen cooperation- Gregoire Owona

Cameroon and the Internal Labour Organisation, ILO are to step up cooperation in ensuring that decent work conditions are provided to workers.

The Minister of Labour and Social Security, Gregoire Owona, on Wednesday, July 8, 2015, received the new Director of the International Labour Organisation, ILO, Sub-regional Office for Central Africa, Vera Lucia Paquete-Perdigao.

Paquete-Perdigao said having arrived in the country last weekend, she came on a courtesy visit and also to review a number of activities between the Ministry of Labour and Social Security and ILO. For example, the two sides are working on a decent work programme following the signing of an agreement to the effect in 2014, she disclosed. ILO will also continue to strengthen cooperation in the areas of employment, social protection and social dialogue, the new ILO Sub-regional Director promised.

According to the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, the Decent Work Programme signed last year with ILO was developed following a participative approach by defining priorities in terms of technical cooperation between government, social partners and ILO for the period 2014-2017.

These priorities respect international norms like the Decent Work Agenda for Africa, the International Agreement on Employment, and the Growth and Employment Strategy Paper Vision 2035 that insist that decent work is a tool for fighting poverty.

Under the agreement, ILO provides technical assistance and counsel for the carrying out of activities at the national and sub-regional levels in collaboration with governments, employers’ organisations and workers, and development partners.