News

On 21 October, Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs Lina Rukštelienė met with Gilbert F. Houngbo, Director-General of the International Labour Organization (ILO), who was visiting Vilnius. They discussed the ILO’s activities, budget optimisation and the reforms being implemented by the organisation.

The meeting also covered Lithuania’s cooperation with the ILO, a specialised United Nations agency responsible for setting international standards in the areas of labour relations and social protection, particularly in the context of Lithuania’s upcoming Presidency of the Council of the European Union.

Vice-Minister Rukštelienė expressed Lithuania’s support for the ILO’s work and for the reforms initiated by Director-General Houngbo, including structural reorganisation, budgetary savings, measures to improve operational efficiency, the prioritisation of programmes and the use of artificial intelligence. The Vice-Minister particularly welcomed the ILO’s decisions to condemn Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine, limit relations with the aggressor state and ensure continued assistance to Ukraine.

“Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine continues. It is therefore particularly important to unite our efforts to support Ukraine, mobilise resources for the country’s reconstruction and address the consequences of Russia’s war, including in areas covered by the ILO’s mandate,” Rukštelienė said.

The Vice-Minister also highlighted concerns regarding the failure of ILO member states, particularly Belarus, to comply with their commitments concerning international labour standards, as well as human rights violations in this area.

The meeting also addressed the election of the ILO Director-General, due to take place in Geneva next month. The incumbent Director-General will seek a second term, with the support of the African Union member states.