Sudan Stands in Solidarity with Saudi Arabia at the International Labour Organization

Sudan’s Permanent Representative to Geneva, Ambassador Hassan Hamid, affirmed Sudan’s full solidarity with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia regarding the complaint filed against it by the International Labour Organization (ILO).

Addressing the closing session of the 355th ILO Governing Body on Friday, the Ambassador, who is also a member of the Governing Body, stated that the complaint does not meet the legal and procedural requirements that necessitate invoking this exceptional measure. He added that it does not reflect the actual state of constructive cooperation between the Kingdom and the ILO, particularly in light of the extensive and systematic reforms implemented by the Kingdom in recent years, which have encompassed vital areas, most notably strengthening social protection and reforming job mobility.

The Sudanese delegate also pointed out that there were agreements mentioned in that complaint that were not ratified by the Kingdom and were included in the circumstances of the complaint, and that other issues were being considered. He called on the Governing Body to reject the complaint for not meeting the objective criteria, and appealed for support for the existing cooperative and technical track between the Kingdom and the International Labour Organization, which would maintain the balance of the organization’s mechanisms and encourage countries cooperating with the organization to move forward with the reform approach. He praised the pioneering reforms undertaken by the Kingdom in the context of developing the work environment and aligning it with international standards.