The International Labour Organization (ILO), a United Nations specialized tripartite agency that seeks the promotion of social justice and international human and labour rights, has a new Director General.
The ILO’s Governing Body that brings together governments, employers and workers, yesterday in Geneva Switzerland through a secret ballot elected Guy Ryder as the organization’s tenth Director General and is due to start his five-year term in October 2012 taking over from the outgoing Director General Juan Somavia who now retires from office.
Mr. Ryder won the coveted seat after he enjoyed the overwhelming support from ILO Governing Body workers’ members who included also employers and governments with the African continent as well as the region being ably represented by the Central Organization of Trade Unions, COTU (K) led by the Secretary General Francis Atwoli who took part in the secret ballot election.
Previously the General Secretary of the International Trade Union Confederation, ITUC Brussels, Mr. Ryder was also the General Secretary of the Internal Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU) that merged with the World Confederation of Labour (WCL) to form the ITUC. The ITUC represents 175 million workers through its 311 affiliated organizations within 155 countries including Kenya where COTU (K) is an affiliate
Upon his election, COTU (K) takes this opportunity to wish the new Director General full success, joy and satisfaction in the fulfillment of his mandate particularly bearing in mind that he has been a strong defender of tripartism and social justice and we look forward to his tenure influencing global debates and particularly to meeting the enormous challenges the world of work is facing today.
Francis Atwoli, MBS
SECRETARY GENERAL