ILO Chief hails Morocco’s social inclusion & protection efforts
Director General of the International Labor Organization (ILO), Gilbert Fossoun Houngbo, has hailed the efforts made by Morocco to build a model social State thanks to the implementation of a comprehensive social inclusion and protection policy.
Mr. Houngbo made the remarks on the sidelines of the visit he is paying since Monday to the North African Kingdom. He was received by several government members including Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch, minister of Economy Inclusion & Employment Younes Sekkouri, minister of Health & Social Protection, Khalid Ait Taleb and minister of economy Nadia Fettah.
Talks focused on Morocco’s institutionalized talks with trade unions, fight against child labor, pension fund reform, the government’s decision to update labor legislation, improve the social welfare system, increase the salary of civil servants, deploy a universal health coverage and expand social protection to include vulnerable families.
In his press statements, the ILO chief paid tribute to Morocco’s experience seeking to improve the workers’ wages and social benefits as well as the situation of self-employed and the disabled persons.
He lauded the Kingdom’s commitment to respecting and promoting fundamental social rights, affirming that the Moroccan government’s priorities are in line with the ILO recommendations.
He also called on Morocco to join ILO’s Global Coalition for Social Justice, as well as the UN Secretary-General’s initiative to support the “Global Employment and Social Protection Accelerator for Just Transitions.”
The Global Coalition for Social Justice is an initiative aimed at intensifying collective efforts to urgently address social justice deficits and to accelerate the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the Sustainable Development Goals and the Decent Work Agenda.
The “Global Employment and Social Protection Accelerator for Just Transitions” seeks to catalyze, develop and implement national strategies that promote sustainable development, job creation and social protection by bringing together the efforts of different Agencies, Funds and Programs of the UN System.
