Petra News Agency
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
Labour Minister Delivers Jordan's Speech at the International Labour Conference in Geneva
Minister of Labour Basim Al Salem said Jordan was keen to achieve economic growth, improve labourers'
productivity and create job opportunities to combat poverty.
Under His Majesty King Abdullah's directives, the government started the process of establishing economic developmental
zones with a view to attracting more investments, mainly in areas related to logistic services, information technology and
medical services, he added.
The minister made the remarks at the 96th session of the International Labour Conference currently being held in Geneva,
Switzerland.
"As part of Jordan's commitment to achieve objectives related to the decent work agenda and the millennium goals, Prime
Minister Marouf Bakhit signed with Director General of the International Labour Organization (ILO) Juan Somavia in South
Korea last year, the Decent Work Country Program" Al Salem added, noting Jordan was the first country in the Middle East to
finalize such an agreement.
Decent work country programs are designed to deliver coordinated support to advance decent work priorities at the national
level. They represent the ILO’s means of assisting national development plans and programs shaped through tripartite
consultation, in accordance with national circumstances and priorities. They also will be the ILO’s contribution to
international development mechanisms.
Al Salem hailed cooperation between Jordan and the ILO, adding these relations have steadily developed over the past few
years, especially by launching a number of projects and programs.
More than 3,000 government, worker and employer leaders are currently attending the annual Conference which will last until
June 15, to discuss issues ranging from decent work and development to child labour in agriculture, work in the fishing
sector, equality at work, forced labour and the promotion of sustainable enterprises