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By Bimbola Oyesola
At its 351st session, the ILO’s Governing Body elected a new chair and vice-chairs and discussed a number of items arising from the June session of the International Labour Conference (ILC), including workers’ rights violations in some member states.
The new officers will run for the period of 2024-2025.
H.E. Mr. Seong Deok Yun, ambassador and permanent representative of the Republic of Korea, was elected as chairperson, while Catelene Passchier of the Netherlands and Renate Hornung-Draus of Germany were re-elected as worker vice-chairperson and employer vice-chairperson respectively.
Yun took over from Nigeria’s Abiodun Richard Adesola who was elected chair of the Governing Body its 348th session last year.
Adejola acted as chairperson of the International Labour Organization’s Governing Body for the period 2023-24.
Adejola has been permanent representative of Nigeria to the United Nations Office at Geneva since 2021.
He was previously deputy head of mission at Nigeria’s Embassy to Ethiopia and deputy head of mission at Nigeria’s Permanent Mission to the Economic Commission for Africa and the African Union in Addis Ababa.
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He was elected by consensus at the 348th Session of the Governing Body on 17 June 2023 and assumed his role as chair with immediate effect.
However during the meeting the GB discussed questions arising from the 112th International Labour Conference (ILC), which took place 3-14 June, and adopted the Report of the Committee of Freedom of Association. It also received an update on compliance by Guatemala of Conventions Nos. 87 and 98.
The GB reiterated its most profound concern at the continuing aggression by the Russian Federation, aided by the Belarusian Government, against Ukraine and the impact it is having on the tripartite constituents in Ukraine and the world of work beyond Ukraine.
It again urged the Russian Federation to immediately and unconditionally cease its aggression and requested the Director-General to continue to monitor the situation and report to the Governing Body at its 352nd Session in November 2024.
The GB also repeated its call for the prompt release of all individuals detained for exercising civil liberties and conducting legitimate trade union activities in Myanmar and expressed grave concern over the lack of progress in implementing the recommendations of the 2023 Commission of Inquiry report.
During its 112th Session the ILC elected the members of the GB who will serve for the period June 2024-June 2027. The GB is composed of 56 titular members (28 Governments, 14 Employers and 14 Workers) and 66 deputy members (28 Governments, 19 Employers and 19 Workers).
The ILO Governing Body takes decisions on ILO policy, decides the agenda of the ILC, adopts the Organization’s draft Programme and Budget for submission to the ILC, and elects the Director-General. It meets three times a year, in March, June and November. Its next meeting is expected to open on 28 October 2024.
Meanwhile, Nigeria has retained the leadership of the Employers group of the ILO, as the Nigeria Employers Consultative Association (NECA)’s Director General, Wale Smatt-Oyerinde was re-elected at the just concluded 112 International Labour Conference in Geneva, Switzerland.
