English quotes from the panellists on: “The Role of Productive Employment and Social Protection in Realizing the Millennium Development Goals”
Leaders from the real economy, meeting at the International Labour Organization's annual conference, held a high-level debate on ways out of the global economic and jobs crisis and called for an urgent, balanced policy approach that would combine economic recovery with jobs growth. Moderated by Mr. Americo Martins dos Santos from BBC World Service, panellists discussed various issues including the role of social protection as a development and poverty reduction tool. Panellists included: Mr Ajay Chhibber, Assistant Secretary General, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP); Mr Robert Nkili, Minister of Labour and Social Security, Cameroun; Chairperson, African Union Labour and Social Affairs Commission; Government Vice-President of the ILC; Dr Kamal Elkheshen, Vice President, Operations, African Development Bank; Mr Yogendra K. Modi, Chairman and CEO, Great Eastern Energy Corporation Ltd.; Mr Quintino M. Severo, General Secretary, Central Sindical dos Trabalhadores (CUT), Brazil; and Mr Anders Wijkman, Vice-Chairman, Tallberg Foundation and member of the Club of Rome.
Robert Nkili, Minister of Labour and Social Security, Cameroun, Chairperson, African Union Labour and Social Affairs, Government Vice President of the ILC
“Our goal (in Cameroon) is to cover at least of 75 per cent of the population. Obviously this internal measure has to be taken while boosting our business, and social dialogue is the key to achieve the right balance.”
Kamal Elkheshen, Vice President, Sector Operations, African Development Bank
“For those that do not rely on extractive industries, we have no other alternative for generating adequate growth which would lead to job creation and therefore income generation for the majority of the population other than diversification.”
Yogendra K. Modi, Chairman and CEO, Great Eastern Energy Corporation Ltd.
“We have a large number of people seeking jobs, and we have large numbers of industries who are short of labour. And the reason is very simple, lack of training and skill development, lack of primary education.”
Mr Quintino M. Severo, General Secretary, Central Sindical dos Trabalhadores (CUT), Brazil
“There are four key elements for the development of a country and for the eradication of poverty: the role of the state as catalyst for development, the generation of employment, the distribution of rent and the transference of income”.
Anders Wijkman, Vice-chairman Tallberg Foundation and member of the Club of Rome
“We need to be concerned not only by the quantity of growth but by the quality of growth, socially and environmentally. Otherwise we will run into the wall and meet her again in a few years time and have an even worse situation.”