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LABOR MINISTERS FROM THE AMERICAS TO MEET IN MEXICO

  August 25, 2005

Labor ministers from the 34 member countries of the Organization of American States (OAS) will meet in Mexico City next month to examine a range of issues related to labor policies, employment and globalization. The 14th Inter-American Conference of Ministers of Labor will take place September 26-27.

At a brief ceremony today, OAS Assistant Secretary General Albert R. Ramdin and the Permanent Representative of Mexico to the OAS, Ambassador Jorge Chen, signed the agreement for that country to host the ministerial meeting. Ramdin underscored the inclusive nature of the meeting, which will bring together international organizations, the private sector, workers groups and civil society.

“This is a particularly important meeting as it will occur just prior to the Fourth Summit of the Americas, which will revolve around the theme that is central to the areas of responsibility of the ministers of labor,” he said.

For his part, Ambassador Chen called the signing of this agreement “one more step in the cooperation and collaboration between Mexico and the OAS. It is a relationship that we are strengthening, as we always want to work in a constructive way with a vision to the future.”

The theme of the ministerial meeting, “People and their work at the heart of globalization,” will include issues such as state policies and globalization; social dialogue as a tool to confront the social and labor effects of globalization; and social and labor effects of public policies on employment and the fight against poverty.

The labor ministers are expected to approve the Declaration and Plan of Action of Mexico, which will be considered by the leaders of the region at the next summit of the Americas, to be held in Mar del Plata, Argentina, in November. The Summit will focus on “Creating Jobs to Fight Poverty and Strengthen Democratic Governance.”

Reference: E-175/05