The 49th session of the Arab Labor Conference (ALC) kicked off in Egypt with the participation of state representatives, organizations, and trade unions from 21 Arab countries.
The Arab League’s Arab Labor Organization (ALO) is organizing the conference, which is chaired by Mauritania and will run through May 29. It is addressing "New Patterns of Work" and "Vocational Guidance and Training."
Minister of Manpower Hassan Shehata delivered a speech on behalf of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, stressing that the successive challenges and changes require Arab countries to prioritize joint Arab action.
He noted that the Arab nation should remain an honorable model for a distinguished civilization capable of building the future and preserving its rich heritage.
ALO Director General Fayez al-Mutairi said the conference is being held when most of the world's economies, including the developed ones, are suffering from inflation and supply chain disruptions due to successive international crises.
Mutairi noted that societal dialogue is a condition for achieving comprehensive development and social cohesion, as it secures the principles of good governance, develops competitive capabilities, and ensures sustainability.
Furthermore, societal dialogue helps facilitate smooth political transitions and anticipate changes, he added.
The conference is addressing address a four-item report by the Director-General, entitled "Social Dialogue between Current Challenges and Future Prospects."
The report discusses means of beefing up societal dialogue at the national and regional levels, viewing it as the best strategy for reinforcing the economic potential of Arab states in facing current challenges and containing their repercussions.
It will also address adapting transformations in achieving sustainable development goals and invest in creating pathways and understandings that respond to the needs of governments, workers, employers, and society through a comprehensive social contract.
The conference sessions will witness the formation of constitutional and statutory bodies elected by the state members: the Board of Directors, the Financial and Administrative Oversight Authority, the Committee on Trade Union Freedoms, and the Arab Women's Labor Affairs Committee.
