'Cataclysmic' COVID-19 crisis requires multilateral cooperation, global response: ILO chief

GENEVA - The "cataclysmic" effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the world of work has highlighted the necessity of multilateral cooperation and global response, Guy Ryder, director-general of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) told delegates at the first plenary sitting of the 109th International Labour Conference (ILC) on Monday.

Ryder underlined the consequences of the "multiple and growing inequalities in our societies" the pandemic has exposed and the past failure to address them over time.

"The sum of human suffering caused by the pandemic is all the greater for that collective failure. In this house of social justice we, more than most, need to draw conclusions from this," he said.

The director-general reminded delegates that the Centenary Declaration for the Future of Work, adopted by the ILC in 2019, gives an agreed and highly-valued roadmap for "constructing a human-centred recovery from the COVID-19 crisis".

"The pandemic has highlighted just how inextricably health, social and economic, financial, trade, and intellectual property policy is really linked... We need to lever that realization to forge better multilateral system coherence on a permanent basis."

"Tragically, the pandemic has probably made a more persuasive and tangible case for multilateral cooperation than the many speeches emanating from our Organization and from others," he underlined.

The plenary sitting of the ILC was also addressed by Swiss President Guy Parmelin, who said the ILC was "particularly important... at a time when our labour markets are still in shock and when we must continue to support our economies, our jobs and our population."

The president called upon delegates to "work tirelessly" to implement the ILO's Centenary Declaration, which "guides us on the measures to be taken to ensure that the recovery of our economies takes a significant, social and human-centred approach".

More than 4,300 delegates from 175 ILO members have registered to attend the 109th ILC, which is being held virtually for the first time due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The official Conference opening was held on May 20, when the Conference Officers were elected. The first part of the conference will close on June 19, and a second segment is scheduled for Nov 25 to Dec 11, 2021 when issues of inequalities and skills and lifelong learning will be discussed.