ILO Director-General welcomes Nobel Peace Prize for Tunisian National Dialogue Quartet

The Nobel Peace Prize 2015 was awarded to National Dialogue Quartet "for its decisive contribution to the building of a pluralistic democracy in Tunisia in the wake of the Jasmine Revolution of 2011". Read the ILO's reaction.

Press release | 09 October 2015
(LtoR from up) Secretary General of the Tunisian General Labour Union (UGTT) Houcine Abbassi, President of the Tunisian employers union (UTICA) Wided Bouchamaoui, President of the Tunisian Human Rights League (LTDH), Abdessattar ben Moussa and Tunisian lawyer Fadhel Mahfoudh. © AFP
GENEVA (ILO News) – ILO Director-General Guy Ryder welcomed warmly the decision of the Nobel Committee in Oslo to award the Peace Prize to the Tunisian National Dialogue Quartet.

The Tunisian National Dialogue Quartet consists of ILO constituents – the Tunisian General Labor Union (UGTT) and The Tunisian Confederation of Industry, Trade and Handicrafts (UTICA) – along with the Tunisian Human Rights League (LTDH) and the Tunisian Order of Lawyers. The Quartet was formed in 2013, when Tunisia's efforts to introduce democracy were in danger of failing amid assassinations and social unrest.

“The Nobel Peace Prize is a tribute to the courage, perseverance and principles of the UGTT, the UTICA and their partners. I salute their commitment to human rights and democracy. The ILO is proud to be associated with them and their activities,” said ILO Director-General Guy Ryder.

In January 2013, during the commemoration of the 2nd anniversary of the Jasmine Revolution, the ILO Director-General was invited to witness the signing of the "social contract" between the Government, the UGTT and UTICA. This social contract, which has benefited throughout its development from the support and expertise of the ILO, has been instrumental in paving the way for improvements in the areas of labour law and labour relations, employment policies, social protection and vocational training, as well as balanced regional development.

Tripartism – cooperation between the government, workers’ and employers’ organizations – is the cornerstone of the ILO, a UN agency committed to promoting social justice and decent work for all. The example of Tunisia powerfully demonstrates, in situations of crisis and post-crisis, that social dialogue contributes to strengthening civil peace and democracy.

The ILO continues to work with Tunisia to promote social dialogue and strengthen labour governance.