Organisation of Islamic Cooperation
The Collective Voice of The Muslim World
Date: 15/04/2013
Issues bearing reducing unemployment, development of human resources and enhancing social protection would feature prominently in the cooperation agenda of OIC. Deliberations on the contemporary challenges of OIC Member States and modalities for consolidating intra-OIC actions would engage the attention of the 2nd OIC Conference of Labour Ministers holding in Baku, Republic of Azerbaijan, from 25-26 April 2013. Under the theme: Decent Work for Sustainable Welfare, the 2nd Ministerial Conference is taking place after a first Ministerial Meeting held in Istanbul, Turkey, on 10 September 2011. Ministers from OIC Member States and representatives of relevant OIC institutions, relevant regional and international organizations would be participating in the Conference. The Conference would be addressed by Secretary General of the OIC Prof. Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu focusing on the various aspects of OIC collaboration in the domain of labour and social protection. Presentations of issues on the Conference agenda would dwell on strategies for collaboration on occupational safety and health, reducing unemployment and increasing human capital resources. Other issues include the welfare of foreign migrant labour and labour market information strategy. The Conference is expected to consider a Programme of Action on integrated support for SMEs enhancing best practices to address the challenges of informal employment, particularly the incorporation of non-registered workers into formal employment, and strengthening and promoting the cooperation among the member states in the field of education and vocational training. In order to fasttrack the implementation of the various decisions of the Conference and to consolidate joint OIC action on critical labour issues, the Conference will also consider the adoption of a Framework document. This programmed execution of OIC decisions falls within the context of the recent reforms introduced under the OIC Ten Year Programme of Action.
