By Agencies
Geneva; ZIMBABWE marked a historic moment as it assumed the presidency of the 113th Session of the International Labour Conference which is ongoing in Geneva, Switzerland.
In his address to the conference, the Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Minister Edgar Moyo said Zimbabwe was honoured with the appointment.
“At the outset, allow me to express, on behalf of the Zimbabwe tripartite delegation, our profound appreciation to the governments group’s nomination and endorsement by the employers and workers groups, for Zimbabwe to preside over this historic conference,” he said.
“Zimbabwe is honoured to assume the presidency of the conference, and I wish to assure you of my commitment and dedication to ensuring that the conference will achieve all its objectives.”
The minister outlined a series of pressing issues affecting labour markets worldwide, including the growth of the informal economy, youth unemployment and underemployment, the rapid rise of digital technologies and artificial intelligence, demographic shifts and the increasing impact of climate change.
He described the conference as a key platform to find collective solutions.
“This current session of the conference will provide us with an opportunity to take stock of these developments and challenges and provide solutions for tackling them,” he said.
“We embark on this two-week journey amid various developments in the world of work, many of which include opportunities for us to leverage on and challenges that we have to collectively address.”
Minister Moyo said the two standard-setting items on the conference’s agenda were important.
“Given the strategic role that international labour standards play in building our economies and societies, the work of the committees should culminate in the recommendation to the plenary of instruments that can be universally applied, taking into account regional differences while upholding fair, just and inclusive standards for all workers and employers of the world,” he said.
Minister Moyo said there was a need for unity and flexibility in negotiations and urged delegates to remain committed to achieving positive and impactful results.
He also reaffirmed the importance of the Committee on the Application of Standards in promoting and enforcing international labour norms.
“It is our hope and expectation that the discussions will be constructive and positively contribute to strengthening social dialogue, which is important in the resolution of disputes,” the minister said.
The conference will also consider the reports of the ILO Governing Body and the Director-General, alongside the proposed programme and budget for the 2026-2027 biennium.
Minister Moyo called for support for the budget to ensure the organisation’s objectives can be fully realised.
“When all is said and done, the work of the ILO relies on a supportive budget,” he said.
“We look forward to adopting the budget to enable all the objectives and aspirations of this organisation to be realised. While we will differ in our respective views in the work before us, may we remain united with the resolve to see the success of this conference which will positively impact the global labour market. I wish you all very fruitful deliberations in the course of the next two weeks.”
Zimbabwe’s leadership at this year’s ILC underscores its growing presence in shaping international labour policy and its commitment to addressing the evolving challenges of the global workforce.
