The Commission social and employment of the Confédération Générale des Entreprisesof Côte d’Ivoire (CGECI) initiated on May 22 in the House of the company to the Plateau (Abidjan), a meeting with the International Labour Office (ILO) and the Ivorian Ministry of employment, Social Affairs and vocational training (MEMEASFP), to reflect on the youth employment.
This meeting is part of the joint mission Multi-ETD/BP-ILO Dakar ivory coast which takes place from 18 to 23 may in the follow-up to the ILO interventions in the areas of investment of multinational enterprises (MNEs) beneficial to SMEs.
According to the representative of the CGECI, Mr. Dri Koffi, Executive Secretary of the UNEMAF, this second meeting of high level with MNEs, to strengthen the links between local SMEs and MNEs. « This meeting can strengthen our cooperation with the ILO, on the problem of employment of young people », he added.
For the representative of the ILO, Yukiko Arai, the question of the employment of young people is a major concern for the State of Côte d’Ivoire, why the head of the Ivorian State has sought in its program, create 1 million jobs. « MNEs have a major role to play in the evolution towards decent work and an enabling environment for sustainable development for all », she said.
The Managing Directeur of employment, Mr. Pierre Désiré DANHO, representing the MEMEASFP, said that the problem of employment is linked largely to training. He thanked the CGECI for this ‘historic’ with ILO collaboration and wished that relevant solutions be found for the needs of youth employment. « It is our duty to help them », he insisted.
During this meeting, several presentations were made, inter alia, the presentation of the declaration on MNEs and decent work, the presentation of the results of the reform of vocational training by the DGVT, presentation of the results of the PEJEDEC, the presentation of the results of the Employment Committee by the DGE, the presentation of the employment survey 2013 by the AGEPE, the presentation of the balance sheet of sectoral activities and the adoption of the draft report of the meeting.
A presentation of the declaration on MNEs and decent work was made by Mr. Check BADIANE of the ILO. It defines the declaration as a political statement, which has no ratification or accession process. According to him, it is the most comprehensive international instrument on the dimension employment of social responsibility (CSR). The purpose of this instrument is to maximize the positive contribution of investment on the issue of employment. Five principles of the MNE declaration are formulated for Governments and businesses. We have the general policy which requires ratification of fundamental conventions applied through national policies. The second principle is based on the job where also is the study of the impact of MNEs on employment in different industrial sectors. Also, it comes to extend equality of opportunity and treatment in employment through training (develop national policies on vocational training and Council). The fourth principle is the working and living conditions which ensure that MNEs as well as national provide security and hygiene standards appropriate to their employees. Finally, the relationship professional where it says not to include in their incentives to attract foreign investment, restrictions any freedom of Association of workers or their right to organize and collective bargaining. To do this, one approach is, inter alia, to promote dialogue-consultation between the Governors of the countries of origin and companies.
Four areas have been detected on the labour market. Cited Agriculture, Telecommunications, Services and banks and Mines. Mr. BADIANE said the support of the ILO business, providing training on international labour standards.