Azerbaijan has a close and successful cooperation experience with the International Labour Organization
A meeting was held at the DOST Agency, which operates under the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of the Population, with a delegation led by Guy Ryder, the Director-General of the International Labour Organization (ILO). Prior to the meeting, the delegation visited the 1st DOST Center and was introduced to the services provided to the public there. Presentations on the DOST Concept and the Ministry's digital services were made for them.
During the meeting, the Minister of Labor and Social Protection of the Population, Anar Aliyev, informed the delegation about the social reforms carried out in the country in recent years based on the instructions of President Ilham Aliyev. The Minister highlighted that these reforms have been highly valued internationally, with more than 200 awards being granted during the past period.
He emphasized the active cooperation with the ILO in the process of social reforms, noting that Azerbaijan has ratified the ILO's 59 Conventions, including 9 fundamental and 4 priority Conventions, and that the possibility of ratifying three additional ILO Conventions is currently being assessed. Minister Aliyev also mentioned that two Decent Work Country Programs between Azerbaijan and the ILO had been successfully implemented, and the next Country Program project is under preparation.
The productive discussions held with the ILO during COP29, which Azerbaijan hosted last November, regarding a just transition were also discussed. The importance of the cooperation agreement signed between the ILO and the Islamic Cooperation Organization (ICO) Employment Center in September 2023 was highlighted. This agreement aims to support the development of labor, employment, and social protection relations between ICO member states.
It was noted that in 2020, Azerbaijan restored its territorial integrity by liberating its territories from 30 years of Armenian occupation, thus ensuring the restoration of historical justice and the implementation of UN Security Council resolutions. Unfortunately, over 12% of the country’s territory remains contaminated by mines, and Azerbaijan is ranked among the top five countries in the world most contaminated by mines. Since the second Nagorno-Karabakh war, the number of mine victims in Azerbaijan has reached 388.
The large-scale reconstruction and restoration works being carried out in the liberated territories under the "smart city" and "smart village" concepts, as well as the active employment programs implemented within the framework of the Great Return Program for returning citizens, were also highlighted.
Jilber Hunqbo, the Director-General of the ILO, expressed his positive impressions of his visit to Azerbaijan, noting that he witnessed the country’s rapid development. He expressed his satisfaction with Azerbaijan's continued expansion of cooperation with the ILO. The ILO Director-General emphasized that the ILO is closely following the social reforms being implemented in Azerbaijan, particularly the innovative solutions in the labor and employment sectors, and stressed the importance of making these reforms sustainable to address modern challenges.
During the meeting, future cooperation between Azerbaijan and the ILO was discussed, and an exchange of views was held on expanding joint work in a number of new directions.
