By Kay del Rosario
The International Labour Organization’s (
ILO) Governing Body in Geneva has elected Gilbert F. Houngbo as their next Director-General. His five-year term begins on 1 October 2022.
The election took place on 25 March 2022 and the outcome was announced through a press release on the same day.
Mr Houngbo is from Togo, an African country, and is currently President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).
He will be the 11th Director-General of the ILO, and the first African to hold the post.
In a speech after his election, Mr Houngbo said: “Although my origins are African my perspective is global. In an age, unfortunately of dividedness, my commitment to be a unifying Director-General stands firm…
“I will be the Director-General of nobody and the Director-General of everybody. Governments, employers and workers alike, from all regions across the world, can rely and should rely on my total readiness to represent and advocate the views of all tripartite constituents of the organisation.”
NTUC President Mary Liew, who is a deputy member in the ILO’s Governing Body, said that Mr Houngbo’s election “marks a significant milestone in the 100-year history of the ILO as the first African.
“We in the ILO Workers’ Group believe that he can be the ‘Director-General for all workers’ regardless of which region they hail from.”
Mr Houngbo was up against four other candidates for the post: Kang Kyung-wha of the Republic of Korea, Mthunzi Mdwaba of South Africa, Muriel Pénicaud of France, and Greg Vines of Australia.
He will be taking over from the current Director-General, Guy Ryder, from the United Kingdom, who has held the office since 2012.
“Brother Ryder has been a good friend of Singapore’s tripartite partners and appreciated how our tripartism has benefited our workers.
“The Labour Movement’s warm relationship with him dates back to as early as 2002 when he was elected as the General Secretary of the then-International Confederation of Free Trade Unions. We would miss his valuable advice when he retires from the ILO,” said Ms Liew.
The ILO is the oldest specialised agency of the United Nations. It was founded in 1919 and has a mandate to promote decent work for all. It has 187 Member States.
Its Governing Body comprises representatives of governments, workers and employers.
