Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2004, published 93rd ILC session (2005)

Equality of Treatment (Social Security) Convention, 1962 (No. 118) - Guinea (Ratification: 1967)

The Committee notes with regret and concern that the Government’s report has not been received for the fourth consecutive year. It must therefore repeat its previous observation, which read as follows:

With reference to its earlier comments, the Committee notes the information provided by the Government in its report and has examined Act L/94/006/CTRN of 14 February 1994 establishing the new Social Security Code.

Article 5 of the Convention. The Committee recalls that the Government, in its earlier reports, indicated that the new Social Security Code, when adopted, would give full effect to Article 5 of the Convention under which the provision of old age benefits, survivors benefits and death grants, and employment injury pensions must be guaranteed in the case of residence abroad, irrespective of the country of residence and even in the absence of agreements with such country, both to nationals of Guinea and to nationals of any other State which has accepted the obligations of the Convention for the corresponding branch. However, in its last report, the Government indicates that the new Social Security Code does not entirely fulfil the requirements of the provisions of Article 5 of the Convention, in that it does not provide for maintenance of payment of the various benefits in case of change of residence, and that this restriction is a constant feature of the legislation governing the field in the States in the subregion. However, the Government hopes that further negotiation of bilateral agreements with other States will make good this weakness in the Social Security Code.

In this connection, the Committee notes that under section 91, paragraphs 1 and 2, of the new Code, benefits are cancelled when the beneficiary definitively leaves the territory of the Republic of Guinea, or are suspended while she or he is not resident on national territory. It notes however that, under the last paragraph of that section, these provisions "are not applicable in the case of nationals of countries which have subscribed to the obligations of the international Conventions of the International Labour Office regarding social security ratified by the Republic of Guinea, or where there are reciprocal agreements or multilateral or bilateral social security agreements on the provision of benefits abroad". Since, by virtue of this exception, the nationals of any State which has accepted the obligations of Convention No. 118 for the corresponding branch, may in principle now claim benefits in case of residence abroad, the Committee requests the Government to indicate whether this is in fact the case and, if so, whether a procedure for the transfer of benefits abroad has been established by the national social security fund, to meet the possible demands for such foreign transfer. In addition, the Committee requests the Government to state whether the exception provided in the last paragraph of the abovementioned section 91 is also applicable to Guinean nationals in the event of their transferring their residence abroad, in accordance with the principle of equal treatment established under Article 5 of the Convention as regards the payment of benefits abroad.

Article 6. With reference to the comments it has been formulating for many years regarding the provision of family allowances in respect of children residing abroad, the Committee notes that, under section 94, paragraph 2, of the new Code, to obtain the right to family allowances, dependent children "must reside in the Republic of Guinea, subject to the special provisions of the international Conventions on social security of the International Labour Office, reciprocal agreements or bilateral or multilateral agreements". With respect to reciprocal agreements or bilateral or multilateral agreements, the Committee recalls that to date, Guinea has concluded no agreement of this sort for the payment of family allowances in respect of children residing abroad. Regarding the special provisions of the ILO Conventions, it recalls that under Article 6 of Convention No. 118 any State which has accepted the obligations of the Convention for branch (i) (family benefit) must guarantee payment of family allowances both to its own nationals and to the nationals of any other member which has accepted the obligations of this Convention for that branch, as well as for refugees and stateless persons, in respect of children who reside on the territory of any such State, under conditions and within limits to be agreed upon by the States concerned. In this connection, the Government states in its report that "the payment of family benefits is guaranteed to families of whom the breadwinner has been regularly insured by the social security system, and is in order regarding the payment of his own contributions, and those of his successive employers". The Committee therefore hopes that the Government will be able to confirm formally in its next report that the payment of family allowances will also be extended to cover insured persons up-to-date with their contributions, whether they are nationals, refugees, stateless persons or nationals of any other States which have accepted the obligations of the Convention for branch (i), whose children reside on the territory of one of these States and not in Guinea. The Committee would also like to know in these cases how the condition of residence is dispensed with for the application of section 99, paragraph 2, of the new Code, which only recognizes as dependent those children "that live with the insured person", and also for section 101, which makes payment of family allowances subject to an annual medical examination of the child, up to the age where she or he comes under the school medical service, and the regular medical care for beneficiaries of school age attending courses in educational or vocational training establishments.

The Committee hopes that the Government will make every effort to take the necessary action in the very near future.