News
The new ILO Country Director pays courtesy calls to ILO constituents in Timor-Leste
Simrin Singh, the new ILO Country Director for Indonesia and Timor-Leste, paid courtesy calls to ILO’s tripartite constituents, relevant ministries and development partners in Timor-Leste.
30 May 2024
DILI, Timor-Leste (ILO News) - Since officially assuming her duties as the Director for the ILO Country Office for Indonesia and Timor-Leste recently, Simrin Singh conducted a series of courtesy meetings with ILO’s constituents in Dili, Timor-Leste during her first official visit to the country from 21 to 24 May.
The courtesy meeting with the Vice-Prime Minister and Minister Coordinator for Economic Affairs and Minister of Tourism and Environment, H.E Francisco Kalbuadi Lay highlighted the urgency of the passage of Timor-Leste’s National Action Plan on Child Labour, employment creation, workforce skilling, labour migration, minimum wages and employment statistics.
As a young country raised from conflict, what we need the most is skills and knowledge transfer from the organization like ILO.
During the discussion, the Vice Prime Minister Kalbuadi emphasized the importance of skills and knowledge transfer. He also acknowledged the long partnership between the ILO and Timor-Leste that has been built since the country became the 177th member State on the ILO in 2003.
“As a young country raised from conflict, what we need the most is skills and knowledge transfer from the organization like ILO. Human capital development is key to improve creation of jobs, foster domestic production, promote tourism and strengthen labour migration,” he stated.
The meeting with Verónica das Dores, Minister of Social Solidarity and Inclusion and Céu Brites, Vice-Minister of Social Solidarity and discussed the ILO supported and recently launched Timor-Leste Social Security Portal as part of an effort to fulfill people’s fundamental right. The meeting also discussed the encouraging prospects for ratification of ILO Convention No. 102 on Social Security that would place the country as the second country after Japan to ratify the Convention in Asia and the Pacific.
“The ILO is the only UN support on social protection to Timor-Leste. I am pleased that we have worked closely with one another, and we will continue strengthening the long partnership we have,” stated Minister Verónica das Dores.
In addition, a series of meetings with the ILO’s tripartite constituents—the Secretariat of State for Vocational Training and Employment (SEFOPE), Chamber of Commerce and Industry Timor-Leste (CCI-TL), and Timor-Leste Trade Union Confederation (KSTL)—who are signatories of the current Decent Work Country Programme of Timor-Leste (2020-2025) also took place.
The courtesy meeting with the SEFOPE’s Director General Carlito do Rosario Cabral took place together with Angelo Veloso, National Director of Labour Relation, Paul Alves, Chief Executive Director of National Employment Strategy Secretariat, Jenifer Pui, National Director of Labour Market Information, Clementina, National Director of Employment, and Joao Correia Pereira, National Director of Overseas Employment.
At the meeting, the priorities of SEFOPE were highlighted. These include labour migration, child labour, job creation, skills training, particularly in the agroforestry sector, as well as skills that are relevant to the ASEAN Qualification Reference Framework. The meeting also discussed the preparation of SEFOPE to lead the delegation of Timor-Leste to participate in this year’s ILO’s International Labour Conference in June in ILO Headquarters in Geneva.
“We greatly welcome the new initiative of the ILO through its Agroforestry skills development project. This project can help develop skills needed in running agroforestry businesses that will be beneficial for our people,” stated Director-General Cabral.
The meeting with the President of CCI-TL, Jorge Serrano and the Chief Executive Director, Domingos Natividade highlighted various issues related to entrepreneurship training, particularly for groups of women survivors, LGBTQI and people with disabilities, skills development for youth and young women and efforts to strengthen capacities of representatives of CCI-TL and increase their membership.
The courtesy meeting with KSTL was attended by Almerio Vila-Nova, President of KSTL, Serafico Natalino Soares, Vice President KSTL and Antonio da Costa Martins, Vice Secretary General. During the meeting, where they showcased their on-site training centre providing courses in English, Korean and Financial Literacy, accommodating the needs of people who do not have access to such training programme, especially youth.
With 20 thousand registered members, KSTL shared their current priority for a minimum wage setting and mechanism. They also expressed the need for the ratification of the ILO Conventions Nos. 87 and 98 on Freedom of Association and the Right to Organize and Collective Bargaining. Other issues discussed included entrepreneurship, skills development, child labour, gender equality and elimination of harassment and violence at work.
The ILO Country Director also held meetings with the UN Resident Coordinator a.i., several UN Heads of Agencies, as well as with development partners including the European Union Delegation that are supporting ILO’s work on social protection and agroforestry skills and value chain development.
