Singapore, ILO extend agreement to promote decent work in S-E Asia
Singapore
THE International Labour Organization (ILO) and Singapore have extended an agreement to continue promoting decent work in South-east Asia, covering areas such as occupational safety and health, showed a joint statement on Tuesday.
Under this partnership, ILO and Singapore's Ministry of Manpower (MOM) cooperate in three key areas: occupational safety and health; fostering social dialogue and cooperation between governments, employers and workers; as well as other labour and workplace practices.
First inked in June 2011, the partnership agreement will now be valid until the end of 2021.
It was signed by Chihoko Asada-Miyakawa, ILO assistant director-general and regional director for Asia and the Pacific, and Aubeck Kam, MOM permanent secretary.
"We greatly welcome the commitment of the Singapore Ministry of Manpower to supporting these joint activities and sharing its expertise on work-related issues with countries and partners throughout Asean," Ms Asada-Miyakawa said.
A NEWSLETTER FOR YOU
Asean Business
Business insights centering on South-east Asia's fast-growing economies.
"This work is more important than ever as we seek to build back better from the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic," she added.
The statement said that technical cooperation under the agreement has covered the development of an occupational safety and health profile in Brunei, employment disputes in Asean and risk assessment in the Philippines.
Training has been conducted for labour inspectors in Vietnam and for government officials in Brunei on labour force surveys and labour market information systems.
The collaboration has also supported a number of study visits, including for Vietnamese and Cambodian delegations relating to industrial relations and the National Wages Council.
Mr Kam said Singapore is pleased with the extension of the partnership agreement with the ILO.
"It reflects Singapore's continued commitment to working with the ILO to share experiences and best practices to promote decent work for workers, especially in these uncertain times," he said.
He added that activities under the agreement will be complemented by the work of the Regional Centre for the Future of Work, recently launched by Singapore, to raise regional capabilities and foster regional conversations related to work issues.
Previous activities that have been held under the agreement include the Singapore-ILO Conference on the Future of Work in 2019; the Sub-Regional Workshops on the implementation of the Maritime Labour Convention in 2006 and 2018; and the 21st World Congress on Safety and Health in 2017.
KEYWORDS IN THIS ARTICLE
BT is now on Telegram!
For daily updates on weekdays and specially selected content for the weekend. Subscribe to t.me/BizTimes
International
Thailand to appoint former energy executive Pichai as finance minister, sources say
Consumer gulf widens as demand for premium and budget foods grows
‘To the Future’: Saudi Arabia spends big to become an AI superpower
Malaysia ex-PM Mahathir facing anti-graft probe in a case involving his sons
Overcrowded Venice begins charging day-trippers for access
South Korea readies new system to detect illegal short-selling