Official praises Azerbaijan’s cooperation with International Labor Organization

By Azernews

By Ofeliya Afandiyeva

Azerbaijani Deputy Minister of Labor and Social Protection Matin Karimli has praised his country's cooperation with the International Labor Organization (ILO) within the project to implement Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) in the country’s villages and cities.

Karimli made the remarks during the conference held in Baku on November 27 on the International Labor Organization’s (ILO) project “Growing progress towards achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) through the promotion of decent labor and inclusive economic growth in Azerbaijani villages and cities”.

Karimli said that “the basis of the success that Azerbaijan achieved in implementation of ‘Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals until 2030’ was laid by [former president] Heydar Aliyev and this success is the result of the state policy implemented by President Ilham Aliyev.”

Deputy Minister also mentioned the work of the National Coordination Council for Sustainable Development and successful submission of the Second Voluntary National Review for Sustainable Development in New-York.

Karimli spoke about the cooperation with ILO on the implementation of Sustainable Development Goals in Azerbaijan.

“The new agenda of ILO is based on the report of the Global Commission on the Future of Work, dated January 22, 2019. The Commission proposed a human-centered agenda for economic growth and development. It is remarkable that the social policy conducted by the Azerbaijani government is established on that principle and is focused on two directions: improving services to the population and improving the living standards of the population”, the deputy minister stated.

Additionally, he noted DOST (Centers for Sustainable and Operational Social Security) project, automated pension appointment, e-social website and the “Employment” subsystem as an example for successful projects in improving the quality of services.

“We were able to increase minimum salary by 93 percent, the minimum pension by 72 percent, benefits and scholarships by an average of 100 percent, expansion of the self-employment program, which this year covered 10,000 people”, Karimli stressed.

Deputy Minister especially emphasized support by the ILO in preparation of employment strategies, arrangement of self-employment programs, the establishment of the Trilateral Commission on Social and Economic Affairs in the country.

“Our country's involvement in youth employment, self-employment and the establishment of the Trilateral Commission has been recommended by ILO to other countries as a good example. An important point that has great potential in our cooperation with ILO is the export of our national experiment to other countries through our experts”, he said.

Karimly added that Azerbaijan has been selected as a regional focus on the implementation of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development by ILO.

“With this regard Azerbaijan hosted the conference dedicated to implementation of the 8th Goal of SDG in May, 2018. Moreover, thanks to Azerbaijan’s growing global authority, the socio-economic success of recent years and effective practical cooperation, Azerbaijan (on the government group) for the first time since joining the ILO was elected as a member of the organization’s board in June 2017”, he underlined.

“Measures implemented within the framework of the ILO project ‘Growing progress towards achieving Sustainable Development Goals through the promotion of decent labor and inclusive economic growth’ will make significant contribution to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals,” the deputy minister noted.

Addressing the conference, Deputy Director at ILO Kholoud Al-Khaldi highlighted Azerbaijan decisive steps and the government’s support in achieving Sustainable Development Goals through the organization’s project.

“We will continue to support Azerbaijan in achieving progress and success, as well as SDGs by 2030,” Al-Khaldi stated.

He further said that to achieve SDGs research on labor activity, removal of barriers to decent work and development of institutional cooperation is very important.