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Countries of the Americas Debate on Jobs and Employment Generation in the Region

The First Meeting of the Working Groups of the 18th Inter-American Conference of Ministers of Labor (IACML) began today in Washington, DC, attended by top-level representatives from the ministries of employment of more than twenty Member States of the Organization of American States (OAS), including the Ministers of Guyana, Haiti and Paraguay.

The three-day meeting is part of the preparation process for the Ministerial Conference of the OAS that gathers the labor authorities in the region every two years to discuss and build consensus on priorities, challenges and actions to be taken in the region on issues of work and employment. This time, the working groups will monitor the agreements of the 17th Inter-American Conference of Ministers of Labor, held a year ago in San Salvador.

Upon inauguration of the event, the Executive Secretary for Integral Development (SEDI) of the OAS, Jorge Saggiante, said job creation, one of the central themes of the meeting, "is perhaps the greatest concern for the whole world.” The OAS official reiterated that according to the 2013 World Development Report recently published by the World Bank, there are currently 200 million people unemployed worldwide, a context in which "the reality of youth is certainly complex and a challenge we cannot ignore."

Saggiante recalled that in San Salvador the ministers of employment said that employment should be at the center of government strategies and should remain a central objective of economic and social policy at the national and international level.

For his part, Mario Barbosa, Director of International Affairs of the Ministry of Labor and Employment of Brazil and Chair of the meeting, stressed the importance of the issues to be discussed, especially in regard to the role of labor ministries in the generation of employment and the coordination of policies.

As part of the meeting, participants will also discuss youth employment, green jobs, labor cooperation and its contribution to institutional strengthening, the demand for talent, and the role of employment services. Also, on October 11, a seminar on Freedom of Association and Collective Bargaining will be held, which will allow for the discussion of these issues in greater depth.

Saggiante highlighted the presence of ministers, deputy ministers, directors of employment and international affairs and academic experts. He expressed his appreciation for the participation of workers and employers represented by the Trade Union Technical Advisory Council (COSATE) and the Business Technical Advisory Committee on Labor Matters (CEATAL).

During the three days, the International Labour Organization (ILO), the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), the World Bank and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) will also take part in the debate.

For more information, please visit the OAS Website at www.oas.org.

Reference: E-360/12