[Source: Fiji Government / Facebook]

The Blue Pacific Big Ocean States Labour Platform is key to recognizing and aligning the Pacific region under a single umbrella on labour/employment issues and agendas.

This was initiated in 2019 by the ILO Pacific Islands states represented by Labour Ministers in Papua New Guinea.

Fiji was the first country elected to Chair the BPBOS labour platform and currently holds the chairmanship through the Minister for Employment.

Minister for Employment Agni Deo Singh, as the current Chair of the BPBOS highlights the purpose of the labour platform as crucial for the ILO Pacific member states to raise the visibility of the Pacific.

Singh emphasizes the discussions at the last Pacific Tripartite High-Level Forum in 2019 to the ILO on having a common voice on issues such as decent work, labour issues and climate change.

He adds that to advance the work of the BPBOS labour platform, a two-day meeting was held on 26-27 August in New Zealand to review the draft Terms of Reference for the BPBOS Labour Ministers’ Platform.

He also extended his appreciation to the ILO Office for the Pacific Island countries for fully funding this meeting and for their continuous support.