in Geneva
4 June 2007
President of Ghana John Kufuor will on Monday address the 96th session of
the International Labour Conference (ILC) currently underway in Geneva,
Switzerland. President Kufuor, who is also the chairman of the African Union,
will be speaking at a special session to more than 3 000 government, worker and
employer delegates attending the annual conference of the International Labour
Organisation, which continues until 15 June.
The address by the African Union chairman will boost Africa's image. In what
Labour Minister Membathisi Mdladlana described as an "embarrassing moment for
Africa", the continent missed an important opportunity and failed to elect a
president to chair the session of the ILC when it opened last Wednesday. It
will now take five more years for Africa to get another opportunity to chair
the ILC.
President Michelle Bachelet of Chile is also scheduled to address a special
sitting of the conference on Monday morning. The two presidents are among six
heads of state and government lined up to speak during this session of the
conference. Delegates will discuss issues ranging from work in the fishing
sector, equality at work, forced labour to the promotion of sustainable
enterprises. There will also be a focus on child labour in agriculture on the
occasion of World Day against Child Labour on June 12.
For enquiries contact:
Xolisa Sigabi:
Cell: 082 906 3878
Issued by: Department of Labour
4 June 2007
Source: SAPA
