The International Labor Organization is the oldest of the United Nations agencies, whose former Prime Minister has also been deputy general secretary.
Le Monde with AFP
Former Prime Minister of Togo, Gilbert Houngbo, was elected, Friday, March 25, at the head of the International Labor Organization (ILO), becoming the first African to perform this function. “I am deeply and absolutely honored to be the first representative of the Africa region to be chosen to lead the ILO after one hundred and three years” he said, after his election at the head of the most Ancient United Nations specialized agency.
He was elected in the second round – with 30 voices, against 23 for his main opponent, the former French Minister of Labor Muriel Penicaud – by the ILO Board of Directors, composed of 56 representatives of the Governments , workers and employers. “You have written the story,” he assured them.
The result of the election, he pointed out, “is carrying a strong symbolism,” and said, “Your choice (…) meets the aspirations of a young African, a young person African whose humble education has turned into a quest for social justice that lasted a lifetime. “Gilbert Houngbo, 61, is a native of a rural prefecture of Togo and spent the majority of his career in organizations international, where he is seen as a senior senior official. He will take office in early October, succeeding the former British unionist Guy Ryder, in positions for ten years and who has reached the limit of both mandates.
Since 2017, it runs the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). But he knows the ILO very well, where he held the position of Deputy Director (2013-17) in charge of field operations. Former UN Deputy Secretary General, Director of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), he was also a member of the organization’s strategic and administrative and financial team.
“New Social contract “
Five candidates were in the running for this election. His main opponent was M me penicaud, carried by the European Bloc. Former Minister of Labor from May 2017 to July 2020, the Frenchman initiated the major social reforms of the Fivennial of Emmanuel Macron, like those of the Labor Code or Unemployment Insurance, strongly criticized by the unions. On Twitter, the candidate of the radical left Jean-Luc Mélenchon at the French presidential election pointed out: “Ridiculous score of Muriel Penicaud in the first round of the election at the head of the International Labor Organization. Ouf. A trade unionist very much in the lead. “
Also candidates the former Foreign Minister of South Korea, Kang Kyung-Wha (2 votes), the South African Contractor Mthunzi Mdwaba (1 Voice) and Australian Greg Vines, Deputy Director General of the ILO for management and reform, which had been eliminated in the first round.
“My election as General Manager intervenes at a time trouble of history, at a time of uncertainty for what the future could reserve, recognized Mr. Houngbo. The world needs an ILO which is able to solve the concrete problems of workers and companies. “
The next ILO boss will have heavy task of adapting the standards of this centenary organization to a changing labor market under the effect of new technologies. Especially since the Pandemic of Covid-19 gave an accelerator to teleworking technologies.
In his application, Gilbert Houngbo stressed that his ILO vision is inspired by the preamble to the Constitution of the Organization: “Whereas a universal and sustainable peace can be founded only on the basis of the social justice. “” The progress made in recent decades in terms of social justice must be preserved and protected, he wrote. and global solutions to new challenges and opportunities should focus on human, environmental, economic and societal values . In short, a new global social contract is needed. “