HIGHLIGHTS:
- He will be the first African-American to hold this position
- He has been the President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development since 2017
- He was the Prime Minister of Togo from 2008 to 2012
Gilbert F. Houngbo was just elected as the 11th Director-General of the International Labour Organization. He will take office in October 2022 as the previous Prime Minister of Togo.
Appointment as Togo’s Prime Minister
Houngbo was elected to this position after a significant internal dispute erupted following the Togolese presidential election in 2005, and he led the country’s political, economic, and social changes. Following his stint as Prime Minister, he became Deputy Director-General of the International Labour Office, the ILO’s permanent secretariat. Later, he went to work for the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).
Houngbo’s vision for the International Labor Organization
Houngbo stated that his ambition for the ILO is to work toward a new global social contract that will aim to defend and preserve the progress made in the areas of social justice over the previous decades. Global solutions to environmental, human, societal, and economic values will be at the centre of the policy.
He also recommended a global social justice programme to establish the foundation for post-pandemic labour regulations around the world. Job shortages and social safety nets were also discussed.
How does the International Labour Organization (ILO) choose a new Director-General?
The ILO elects a new Director-General every ten years. The ILO’s governing board, which includes representatives from workers, governments, and businesses, casts the votes for this position.
