As reported earlier, an Uzbekistan delegation participated in the 106th session of the International Labor Conference, which took place in Geneva.

In the framework of the conference, the tripartite social partners represented by Deputy Prime Minister of Uzbekistan T. Narbayeva, Minister of Employment and Labor Relations A. Abdukhakimov, Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry A. Shaikhov and Deputy Chairman of the Federation Council of Trade Unions B. Makhmadaliyev met with the Director General of the International Labor Organization (ILO) Guy Ryder.

The head of the ILO was informed in detail about the ongoing social and economic reforms in Uzbekistan and measures aimed at providing decent workplaces, in particular, the latest Presidential decrees aimed at further improving the social and labor affairs, ensuring the timely payment of wages, pensions and stipends, as well as improving the public healthcare and ensuring gender equality.

G. Ryder said that the ties with Uzbekistan are "very important" for the ILO. He noted that the sides achieved significant success in many areas of cooperation and added that new opportunities were opening, especially in matters of job creation, labor protection, gender equality.

The ILO chief highly commanded the adopted Uzbekistan’s Development Strategy for 2017-2021, in which the social sphere is outlined as one of the five priority areas. He highly appreciated the implementation of the ILO Country Program on Decent Work in Uzbekistan and the labor standards in line with international standards.

The Director-General thanked the leadership of Uzbekistan and the Government for ratifying the ILO's fundamental Convention No. 87 on Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organize in Trade Unions of 1948. "We hope that the work on studying the compatibility of other ILO conventions with the  Uzbek legislation will continue," the head of the ILO said.

G. Ryder outlined the need to expand bilateral cooperation, on such matters as improvement of the legal framework, job creation, including for women, as well as health & safety and social protection at work. "We must not stop at what we have achieved, we should go forward and develop partnership."

He expressed interest in furthering cooperation with Uzbekistan and joint development of plans for practical measures.