Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2020, published 109th ILC session (2021)

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

The Committee notes with deep concern that the Government’s report has not been received. It is therefore bound to repeat its previous comments. The Committee informs the Government that, if it has not supplied replies to the points raised by 1 September 2021, then it may proceed with the examination of the application of the Convention on the basis of the information at its disposal at its next session.

Repetition

Article 5 of the Convention. Payment of benefits in the case of residence abroad. Referring to its previous comments, the Committee notes with interest the conclusion in 2012 of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) General Convention on Social Security, which aims in particular to enable migrant workers who have worked in one of the 15 ECOWAS member States to exercise their right to social security in their country of origin through the coordination of national social security systems. However, since Cabo Verde is the only other ECOWAS member State that has ratified Convention No. 118, the Committee requests the Government once again to indicate whether, as it understands from its reading of section 91 of the Social Security Code, nationals of any State that has accepted the obligations of the Convention for the corresponding branch should in principle be able to claim payment of their benefits in the case of residence abroad. If so, the Committee requests the Government to indicate whether a procedure for the transfer of benefits abroad has been established by the National Social Security Fund to meet any requests for the transfer of benefits abroad. In addition, the Committee requests the Government to clarify whether any Guinean nationals transferring their residence abroad would also be entitled to have their benefits transferred abroad, in accordance with the principle of equal treatment established under Article 5 of the Convention.

Article 6. Payment of family benefit. Referring 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(2) of the Social Security Code, to be entitled to family benefit, 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 the 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. The Committee notes that the Government’s report does not provide any information in this respect and hopes that the Government will be able to confirm formally in its next report that the payment of family benefit 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 in the territory of one of these States and not in Guinea. The Committee also requests information as to how the condition of residence is dispensed with in these cases for the application of section 99(2) of the 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 he or she 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 is raising other matters in a request addressed directly to the Government.

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