Press Release
Prime Minister Rt. Honourable Mr. K P Sharma Oli has said that protection of the most vulnerable, including the migrant workers and those in informal sectors, and provision of adequate social security and health care is key to minimize the impact of COVID-19.
The Prime Minister was addressing virtual “Global Summit on COVID-19 and the World of Work: Building a Better Future of Work” convened by the International Labour Organization (ILO) today.
Stating the world economy has suffered a lot due to global decline in investment, trade and disruption in travel industry, which has thrown millions of workers and enterprise vulnerable, Prime Minister Rt. Hon. Oli said that the impact is unevenly high in the LDCs and low-income countries.
Expressing support to the human-centred agenda of decent work, he called for robust global response to the pandemic with United Nations and its specialized agencies like ILO at the centre.
Highlighting that the migrant workers are losing hopes and returning home in the midst of pandemic without protection of job and income, Prime Minister Oli said that this situation could have been avoided and norms of WHO should have been observed in the process.
“Humanity is tested in the time of crisis; our conscience should guide us to uphold justice and fairness even in the time of extreme difficulty” said the Prime Minister. International solidarity at this hour could prevent the job loss, return of migrant workers and reversal in the progress of SDG and resulting rise of poverty, he added.
The Prime Minister underlined the efforts made by Government of Nepal to the prevention and mitigation of the impact of COVID-19 pandemic. He highlighted the immediate and medium-term measures taken to the protection of workers in the formal and informal sectors and creation of sustainable employment opportunities. He expressed commitment to partnership and social dialogue at the national level and called for greater solidarity to address the situation globally.
The Global su
mmit has brought together over 50 Heads of the State and Government, prominent leaders of employers organizations and trade unions as well as heads of international organizations to discuss on the impact of COVID-19 in the employment and livelihoods of hundreds of millions of workers around the world.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Singhdurbar,
Kathmandu
08 July 2020