The Second Meeting of the OIC Public Employment Services Network was held in Ankara on 27-28 September. The main objective of the meeting was to review the progress achieved since the first meeting and to explore innovative cooperation opportunities among respective authorities in member countries.

The Meeting brought together heads of public employment authorities, as well as directors and senior experts from different ministries of 32 OIC Member Countries, namely, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Cameroon, Chad, Djibouti, Egypt, Gambia, Ivory-Coast, Jordan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Malaysia, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Somalia, Sudan, Tajikistan, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Turkey and United Arab Emirates and an observer member Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus in order to provide an opportunity for the relevant institutions to introduce current state, challenges and improvements of PES in their respective countries.

The Meeting commenced with recitation from the Holy Quran, followed by welcome addresses by H.E. Dr. Mehmet Müezzinoğlu, Labour and Social Security Minister of the Republic of Turkey, Ambassador Musa Kulaklıkaya, Director General of SESRIC, Mr. Mehmet Ali Özkan, General Manager of İŞKUR.

H.E. Dr. Mehmet Müezzinoğlu, Labour and Social Security Minister of the Republic of Turkey, stated that being aware of the solution to unemployment is a global issue and our responsibility for the reproduction of decent work, we should discuss all related matters and rapidly bring to life of all decisions. Denoted the Islamic World as ought to be the place of peace, indulgence, science, art and favour, H.E. Dr. Müezzinoğlu mentioned that “If we, as the politicians, scientists and artists of this geography, fail to beat the plans on the region, I’m afraid that we will not have trained beings in the future to beat these plans. H.E. Dr. Müezzinoğlu concluded his words by saying that “There cannot be global development without the Muslim world”.

H.E. Amb. Musa Kulaklıkaya, Director General of SESRIC, indicated in his address that the global economic and financial crisis that has stalled the world economic growth, governments around the world have been pursuing different policies to boost demand, increase investments and stimulate growth and these policies might have avoided an even significant impact on the economies, but slow-moving growth rates became inevitable over the succeeding years, with significant repercussions on many fronts. Amb. Musa Kulaklıkaya concluded his remarks by stating that “The problem of unemployment in the OIC Community and the strategies for its reduction should be considered with a new vision at both the individual country and OIC Cooperation levels and the objectives for and the efforts to address employment in our member countries should be outlined specifically in the national employment strategies, but through a process of creating a supportive OIC Environment.”

H.E. Mr. Mehmet Ali Özkan, Deputy General Director, İŞKUR and President of World Association of Public Employment Services stated that all countries were devastated as a result of economic fluctuations. Mr. Özkan indicated that “There is around 200 million unemployed globally and noted that the vast majority of those are in the Islamic world. Mr. Özkan also mentioned that “We needed to increase our effectiveness in transnational cooperation in coping with unemployment and the inherent joint ventures and the future initiatives in the Islamic World will contribute to the development of the political, economic, social and cultural aspects that will directly support the Islamic World to have a voice in global policy”.

During the meeting, the country representatives shared information about the policies and strategies, as well as past and continuing programs and projects of their institutions in addressing one or more of the challenges of the unemployment in their respective countries. They also brainstormed to construct views and ideas for tangible and practical proposals on means and ways of potential collaboration among public employment authorities for sharing knowledge & experience and joint action for enhanced public employment services.

Participants expressed strong satisfaction for the gained achievements with the implementation of the previous recommendations of the OIC PESNET and urged member countries to actively support the network and participate in the implementation process for the exchange of knowledge and experience in the field of public employment services. They also acknowledged the need for the provision of international integrated efforts in OIC Community to facilitate and harness decent work conditions for all.

For other activities of the OIC Public Employment Services Network (OIC PESNET), please visit: http://www.oicvet.org/oicpescab.php

Documents

• Agenda and Programme (English) (Arabic) (French)
• Participants List (English)
• Final Communique (English) (Arabic) (French)
• Report on Labour Market Structure, Unemployment and the Role of VET in OIC Countries (English) (Arabic) (French)

Statements

• Opening Statement of Amb. Musa Kulaklıkaya, Director General, SESRIC (English)
• Opening Statement of Mr. Mehmet Ali Özkan, Deputy General Director, İŞKUR (English)

Presentations

• Labour Market Structure and Unemployment in OIC Countries (SESRIC) (English)
• Labour Market Surveys (IŞKUR) (English)
• Labour Market Information and Employment Services Centres (Afghanistan) (English)
• State Employment Service (Azerbaijan) (English)
• Employment Opportunities & Best Practices (Bangladesh) (English)
• Sharing of Best Training Practices (Cameroon) (French)
• Experience of ONAPE on Employability of Youth (Chad) (French)
• National Agency on the Job Training And Professional Integration (Djibouti) (French)
• Evidence Based Policy Formation and Implementation of Public Employment Services (Gambia) (English)
• National Employment Policy (Ivory Coast) (French)
• Operation and Services of the Ministry of Labour (Jordan) (Arabic)
• Road Map of Employment 2020 (Kazakhstan) (English)
• Public Employment Services (Malaysia) (English)
• National Employment Agency (Mali) (French)
• National Agency for the Promotion of Youth Employment (Mauritania) (Arabic)
• Labour Market Experience (Morocco) (French)
• Government Initiatives to Tackle Unemployment (Pakistan) (English)
• Public Sector Employment (State of Palestine) (Arabic)
• Best Practices on Evidence Based Policy Formation and Implementation of PES (Saudi Arabia) (English)
• Challenges and Progress of PES (Senegal) (French)
• Social and Human Development (Somalia) (English)
• National Fund for the Operation of the Graduates (Sudan) (Arabic)
• Human Resources in the Federal Government (United Arab Emirates) (Arabic)

Photos

Videos

• Promotional Film of the Civil Service of the Sultanate of Oman (Arabic)