GENEVA-President William Ruto has challenged the International Labour Organisation (ILO) to expand its dialogue to include the unemployed.
He said ILO system has been chiefly worker-oriented yet labour rights also touch the unemployed.This, he explained, will pave the way for sustainable solutions to unemployment. “As we speak about matters pertaining to work, we must also speak about the millions of jobless people whose voices cannot be heard at conferences like this,” he said.
President Ruto made the remarks on Thursday during the International Labour Organisation’s World of Work Summit in Geneva, Switzerland.
The President said it was concerning that Africa has recorded the highest unemployment rates in the world with many countries reporting between a quarter and a third of their populations as jobless.
He called on African States to accelerate the actualisation of Agenda 2063 and the sustainable development goals to create more opportunities for the people.
President Ruto said consolidating the African market through the implementation of the Africa Continental Free Trade Area will bring more job opportunities.
“Africa has a vast opportunity to radically transform economic productivity, thereby creating employment on an unprecedented scale,” he said.