Assahafa.com
Director-General of the International Labour Office (ILO), Gilbert Houngbo, praised the “progress” made on social dialogue in Morocco and expressed his organization’s readiness to support the government in the reform of the Labour Code and the law on trade unions.
Speaking to the press following talks with Younes Sekkouri, Morocco’s Minister of Economic Inclusion, Small Business, Employment, and Skills, Houngbo said the meeting was an opportunity to review the cooperation initiatives between the ILO and Morocco, following his visit to the Kingdom last year.
The talks took place on Monday in Geneva on the sidelines of the 113th International Labour Conference (June 2–13).
“The minister shared his plans to continue this social dialogue, and I am very pleased with the improvement in this area, as well as with the planned reform of the Labor Code,” he added. This is a “major undertaking” for which the ILO is ready and available to work with the ministry.
The ILO chief also referred to the draft law on trade unions, which is an important issue for workers’ and employers’ organizations as well as for the ILO, assuring that his organization, through its representation in Morocco and its experts in Geneva, is “ready to work with the Moroccan government on these projects.”
For his part, Sekkouri stated that the meeting with the ILO official covered national, regional, and international topics, including the 6th International Conference on the Elimination of Child Labor, which Morocco will host next year.
Morocco’s hosting of this global event is the fruit of the Kingdom’s never-ending dedication to this issue, under the enlightened leadership of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, he told MAP.
“Morocco has made major progress and continues to advance on this issue. Next year will be an opportunity to highlight all the Kingdom’s efforts in this regard,” he added.
The minister noted that the most recent round of social dialogue included discussions on the draft laws on unions and the Labor Code, as well as the government’s employment roadmap.
Sekkouri recalled that employment indicators have shown a significant improvement this year, with 282,000 net jobs created, compared to a loss of 80,000 net jobs last year. The improvement in these indicators calls for “fundamental reforms,” he said.
The talks with Houngbo also touched on the technical expertise and support the ILO can provide Morocco, particularly in addressing emerging issues such as platform work and new forms of employment.
Source: map
