Geneva - At the 112th International Labour Conference (ILC), government, employers’ and workers’ representatives from across the globe reaffirmed their commitment to the ILO’s normative mandate, in a rapidly transforming world of work. Among the key highlights from the conference was the championing of multilateralism through initiatives like the Global Accelerator on Jobs and Social Protection for Just Transitions that is prioritising decent jobs and social protection through integrated programmes and financing.
Gilbert F Houngbo, ILO Director-General emphasized the power of collective action in his address: “None of us can achieve the results we are expecting alone—it’s really together that we can create synergy and optimize results. We have 18 countries that have made firm commitments to scale up jobs and social protection through the Global Accelerator.” He acknowledged the growing momentum and collaboration driving the initiative forward, with several nations actively contributing to its ambitious goals.
Albania, Cambodia, and Paraguay were among the countries that spotlighted their involvement with the Global Accelerator, each sharing how the initiative has supported national efforts to strengthen employment strategies and social protection mechanisms.
Olta Manjani, Deputy Minister of Finance and the Economy and Government, Albania highlighted the country’s pathfinder status in her address while elaborating the gains the country has made towards decent work. “Our completed national roadmap highlights inter-ministerial coordination and the active involvement of social partners and civil society in integrated programmes, financing and implementation,” she stated.
Sour Heng, Minister of Labour and Vocational Training, Cambodia, in a pre-recorded statement, underscored the country’s leadership role in the Asia-Pacific region, having hosted the first regional Global Accelerator Policy Forum in April this year. “This milestone reflects Cambodia’s utmost enduring commitment to integrating strategic skill development and life-long learning with the social protection system, thereby facilitating a just transition towards inclusive, digitally enabled and environmentally sustainable economic growth,” he said, positioning the Global Accelerator as central to the country’s development vision.
Mónica Recalde De Giacomi, Minister of Labour, Employment and Social Security, Paraguay, also reiterated the country’s commitment to inclusive labour policies, against the backdrop of informality and increasing youth employability. “Paraguay has become a leading country in developing the national roadmap for the Global Accelerator, which demonstrates our commitment to move towards decent work and the extension of social protection and a more sustainable world of work” she stated at the start of her address.
Countries demonstrated the growing recognition of multilateral initiatives like the Global Accelerator, being vital in fostering national ownership, coherence, and impactful action. As countries work together to accelerate job creation and the expansion of social protection, they are laying the foundation for a more resilient, inclusive, and just global economy.