23 March 2017

IOE participates in High-Level B20 Germany Plenary

IOE President Daniel Funes de Rioja spoke at a special, joint OECD-BIAC-B20 event on 22 March in Paris. The different B20 Task Forces came together at the event with the aim of bringing a coordinated and uniform voice of the B20 before the G20. In his speech, Mr Funes de Rioja pointed out that a concerted effort is required to overcome obstacles to development. To achieve economic and social progress and inclusive and interconnected development he called on governments to:

• Implement the commitments agreed upon at the G20 level
• Follow the framework set out in the Sustainable Development Goals
• Promote open, dynamic and inclusive labour markets by removing structural and legal barriers to work
• Facilitate the entry of previously untapped talent pools (such as young people, women and persons with disabilities) into the formal labour market
• Minimise barriers to mobility and view migration as an opportunity rather than a risk
• Harness the potential of technological change through better education and training, entrepreneurship and innovation frameworks
• Effectively implement and enforce human rights and international labour standards commitments at the national level, especially the ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work and the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights

Mr Funes de Rioja added that business is the incubator of new technologies and innovation; Business delivers jobs, incomes, purchasing power and livelihoods, allowing for community integration. It also facilitates greater economic and social equity, inclusiveness and is a powerful incentive for greater political stability. Finally, he reaffirmed the IOE’s commitment to implementing the 2015 IOE Bahrain Declaration and reiterated the IOE’s support for engaging with all stakeholders to promote more and better jobs, growth and prosperity.