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By Bimbola Oyesola
The Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD) and the International Labour Organization (ILO) have signed a USD 2 million agreement to support the ILO’s Regular Budget Supplementary Account (RBSA), a key flexible funding mechanism that advances decent work in crisis-affected and other eligible countries.
Signed on 16 May in Geneva, the agreement positions Qatar as only the second emerging partner – after Brazil – to support the RBSA since its establishment. It underscores Qatar’s evolving and strategic role as a development actor on the global stage.
The agreement according to ILO was signed by Fahad Bin Hamad Al Sulaiti, the Director-General of the QFFD and Gilbert F. Houngbo, Director-General of the ILO, in the presence of His Highness Sheikh Thani bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, Chairperson of QFFD. The event marked not just the flow of funds, but a deliberate pivot toward deeper, longer-term cooperation between the two institutions.
Agreement between ILO and Qatar to strengthen ILO’s global efforts to advance decent work in crisis and development contexts
The RBSA enables the ILO to respond rapidly and effectively to global challenges – from supporting decent jobs in conflict zones to advancing gender equality, green transitions, and inclusive economic recovery.
It provides the ILO with the agility to deploy resources where they’re most needed, when they’re most needed.
QFFD’s contribution is fully aligned with the ILO’s 2024–2025 Programme and Budget priorities and lays the groundwork for scaling joint action in South-South and Triangular Cooperation (SSTC).
Looking ahead, this partnership opens the door to broader cooperation, including:
Technical peer exchange with countries in the Horn of Africa, the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), and Arab States, including GCC.
Skills and employment projects jointly designed and deployed in fragile contexts.
Global events and knowledge hubs, including contributions to the upcoming World Summit for Social Development in Doha and further engagement through the ILO’s training infrastructure in Turin and beyond.
“This agreement lays the foundation for sustained cooperation focused on innovation, capacity-building and measurable impact,” the ILO said
