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The Committee notes the Government's report for the period ending 30 June 1994 and the reply to its previous direct request. The incomplete, partial and even negative nature of the information supplied does not enable the Committee to ascertain as it would wish the manner in which the Convention is applied. It is therefore bound to reiterate most of the questions raised previously and hopes that the next report will contain information as detailed as possible in reply to its specific questions and, more generally, to those asked on the report form concerning in particular the general objectives and formulation of the employment policy in the framework of a coordinated economic and social policy (Articles 1 and 2 of the Convention).

1. The Committee hopes that the results of the national manpower survey will be available and utilizable shortly and that the Government will soon be able to communicate the information required on the size and distribution of the labour force, the level and trends in employment, unemployment and underemployment, which constitute the basis for decisions on employment policy measures.

2. Please indicate whether the draft text respecting the general organization of vocational training and guidance, already mentioned in the Government's previous report, has been adopted. The Committee would be grateful if the Government would supply more specific information on the occupational training, retraining and conversion activities undertaken by the National Employment Fund and describe the measures, designed to coordinate education and training policies with employment prospects, which have been taken on the basis of the recommendations made at the session of the National Council for Occupational Training held in September 1994 at Yaoundé.

3. The Committee notes the cessation of support projects for micro-enterprises due to lack of funding and the reduction in the scope of the young entrepreneurs' project which was undertaken with the technical cooperation of the ILO with a view to effectiveness and experimentation. Please indicate whether more favourable circumstances or new initiatives have allowed this type of project to be relaunched, bearing in mind the objective which the Government indicated in its previous report of promoting self-employment with a view to absorbing the additional labour force which is resulting from the increase in the active population.

4. The Committee hopes that the next report will contain the information requested earlier concerning the evaluation in terms of job creation of establishing an industrial "free zone" and the new facilities provided by the Investments Code (in process of revision). Please supply a copy of Ordinance No. 90 0001 (free zone) and Ordinance No. 90 007 (Investment Code), as amended, if appropriate. Please indicate whether these measures also include providing facilities or increasing flexibility in the labour legislation or labour regime areas.

5. The Committee regrets that the Government's report does not contain a reply to the request for information on the effect given to Article 3 relating to consultation of professional organizations and other sectors affected by the measures to be taken. It recalls point 5 of its previous direct request in this regard and trusts that the next report will indicate the measures taken to give effect to this fundamental provision of the Convention, particularly in the context of the definition and application of any stabilization and/or structural adjustment policy.