President Cyril Ramaphosa, Minister Thulas Nxesi and the South African delegation are currently in Geneva, Switzerland, attending the 108th Session of the International Labour Organisation (ILO).

President Ramaphosa is attending the meeting in his capacity as Head of State and Head of Delegation. The President’s pivotal role as Co-Chair of the ILO’s Global Commission on the Future of Work requires that he attend, also because the 2019 ILO Centenary coincides with the end of the Nelson Mandela Centenary. The President will address the ILO and hold bilateral meetings with his counterparts before departing Geneva. The rest of the delegation will then attend to the business of the session.

The report of the ILO Director-General will draw on the outcomes of the Global Commission on the Future of Work and will be debated in the Committee of the Whole to inform the future strategic direction of the ILO. The envisioned Declaration will consolidate the ILO as the global authority on labour and employment matters; strengthen its role in the multilateral system; and shape the future of work. This is crucially important for the future livelihoods of our people. Deliberations will also focus on violence and harassment of women in the workplace, and on vulnerable groups such the LGBTI community.

The ILO session is multilateral in nature. ILO Conference Rule Article 26 (13.2) obliges member states to cover the cost of the social partners. It was agreed that labour, business, government and community would each send five delegates; the cost of additional delegates is carried by the Social Partners themselves. In addition, the community component is carrying the cost of its own flights and accommodation. It is in the nature of multilateralism that multiple meetings are held at various levels simultaneously, and the delegation must be able to service all of these engagements in terms of both seniority and expertise. The South African delegation is well appointed to do this.

The South African delegation is doing important work in infusing the perspectives of the developing world in the deliberations of the ILO. Under the leadership and direction of the President, they are working to advance a better future with decent work in dignity for our people.  When the delegation returns to South Africa, the media will be invited to a full briefing on the outcomes of the session.

Issued by GCIS on behalf of the Department of Labour