[Guy Ryder, ILO Director-General] "The Conference is coming to its conclusion.
We got there!
And the reports we have received and adopted here in Plenary
show that it is a successful conclusion
reached after long, hard and constructive work,
to which delegates from all groups and from all regions
have contributed in accordance with the spirit
and indeed the responsibilities of tripartism.
What you have done,
obviously key to the world of work and the ILO,
is also a major contribution to on-going processes
in the broader multilateral system:
next year’s UN Global Compact on migration, for example,
the one on refugees;
the implementation of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda of course:
and also the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.
The adoption of a new Recommendation
– we will get to know it as Recommendation No. 205, -
on Employment and Decent Work for Peace and Resilience
– is very significant and at several levels.
This Recommendation is a vital answer
from the world of work
to millions of people affected by conflict, crisis, disaster,
or displacement.
The responsibilities of the ILO in respect of migration of course
are not new,
but we are called upon to discharge them
in rapidly changing circumstances,
and under the pressure of widespread governance deficits
which unfortunately allow so much space for abuse,
and too frequently a deterioration of public attitudes
and political discourse between migrants and migration.
I believe it is our responsibility to make no concessions
to attitudes which are offensive to the ILO’s values and standards
and to provide concrete guidance
and real leadership
in the construction of governance systems for migration,
which do address the real policy challenges involved
and which allow for the realization of the benefits of migration for all concerned
– that elusive but essential “win-win” outcome.
I think it’s important to insist
on the significance of the discussion
on the experts’ general survey on occupational safety and health.
It should not go unremarked upon.
Primarily because work continues to take too great a toll
on workers’ lives and health.
The overwhelming majority of the 295 speakers
expressed support for the ILO’s new and growing activities
around the world of work and climate change,
and specifically on just transition
into environmental sustainability.
But now, as our conference comes to its end,
I think we can all share the sentiment of a job well done,
a feeling of fatigue and satisfaction
that often comes at the end of a day
or rather two weeks
of decent and meaningful work.
And I want,
as I have already paid sincere tribute
to the way that governments, employers and worker representatives
have once more shown that indeed
tripartism does deliver the goods."
[ILC president] “Thank you very much, Director-General.”