Kabil discusses youth, women empowerment, SME development with ILO delegation
Minister of Trade and Industry Tarek Kabil affirmed Egypt’s keenness to strengthen partnership relations with all international organisations, foremost among them international labour organisations, with a view to implement a comprehensive economic reform programme based on achieving social justice and preserving labour rights.
Kabil’s announcement came during a meeting between the minister and a delegation from the International Labour Organisation (ILO) office in Cairo, headed by Peter Van Rooij, ILO country director for Egypt.
The meeting focused on enhancing cooperation between the Ministry of Trade and industry and the ILO, especially in the fields of entrepreneurship and job creation for youth.
The minister said that his discussions last month with ILO Director General Guy Ryder, in Geneva, were a catalyst for the development of joint cooperation between the Egyptian government and the organisation, especially in the fields of small and medium enterprise (SME) development, entrepreneurship sustainability, and women and youth empowerment.
Moreover, the meeting dealt with coordination with the organisation to begin the completion of the second phase of the “Promoting Worker Rights and Competitiveness in Egyptian Exports Industries” programme, aiming to improve outcomes for employers and workers in Egypt’s labour-intensive export sectors, particularly the readymade garment industry.
On the other hand, Van Rooij stressed the ILO’s keenness to strengthen its distinguished relations with Egypt, adding that the positive developments witnessed by Egypt recently represent a cornerstone for increasing the competitiveness of the Egyptian economy globally. He noted that his organisation seeks coordination with Egyptian officials to promote the unprecedented achievements achieved of late, including the improvement of employment conditions, both socially and economically.
Van Rooij said the ILO is currently implementing a number of initiatives and development projects in cooperation with the Egyptian government and representatives of the private sector in order to provide employment opportunities for young people across all of Egypt’s governorates.