RIYADH — Minister of Human Resources and Social Development Eng. Ahmed Bin Sulaiman Al-Rajhi recently held a number of bilateral meetings in Riyadh, with prominent candidates for the position of Director-General of the International Labor Organization (ILO). The new Director-General will complete five-year term of office, starting from Oct. 1, 2022.

The first meeting was with the Australian candidate Gregory Joseph Vines, followed by a meeting with Togo’s candidate Gilbert F. Houngbo, and the last meeting came with the French candidate Muriel Penicaud. The meetings were attended by. Vice Minister for the Labor Sector Dr. Abdullah Abuthnain and senior officials.

During the meetings, topics of mutual interest were discussed, including the latest developments in the international labor markets, in light of the repercussions related to the pandemic.

The candidates presented their ILO work agenda and future professional aspirations, and emphasized the importance of maximizing the cooperation to expedite the full recovery of global labor markets.

In turn, Eng. Al-Rajhi mirrored their sentiments during the meetings, and highlighted the Kingdom's role as a titular member of the International Labor Organization's governing body.

It is worth noting that Saudi Arabia was elected a titular member of ILO’s governing body for the session (2021-2024), at elections that took place last June during the 109th session of the International Labor Conference.

The organization’s board of directors also invited candidates for the post of Director-General of the ILO to apply for the position, in mid-2021, and received the nominations in preparation for the electoral process. The term of the current Director-General Guy Ryder, ends on Sept. 30, 2022. — SG