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The Committee notes the Government's report for the period ending September 1996 and the information it contains in reply to its previous request. It asks the Government to supply in its next report full information in reply to the questions on the report form, with particular reference to the following points.

1. The Committee notes that the Government recognizes the present method of calculating the number of unemployed does not make it possible to apply appropriate policies. It notes that efforts are being made, with the assistance of ILO experts, to introduce new methods and hopes that the Government will be in a position to supply information in its next report on progress made in the collection and analysis of reliable statistical data on the situation and trends in the active population, employment, underemployment and unemployment, throughout the country and in the various regions, by sector of activity, sex, age and skill level.

2. The Government indicates that the social difficulties linked with the transition of the labour market and structural adjustment have been further aggravated by the state of war, the occupation of part of the territory and the large number of displaced persons. The Committee notes that, in this difficult context, the Government considers that the role of the State must be to ensure that economic reforms are compatible with promoting full, productive and freely chosen employment. In this respect, the Committee would be grateful if the Government would indicate the effects noted or expected on employment as a result of implementation of the stabilization programme being carried out with International Monetary Fund and World Bank credits. Please also supply information on the measures taken or contemplated to encourage balanced regional development, particularly through the promotion of non-agricultural activities in rural areas.

3. The Committee notes the information concerning the role of the public employment service in the application of employment policy. It requests the Government to supply more detailed information on the nature and volume of activities of the public employment service, bearing in mind also the provisions of the Employment Service Convention, 1948 (No. 88), and the Committee's comments on their application. The Committee notes that the Government plans to encourage self-employment as an important area of employment policy. It requests the Government to indicate the measures taken for this purpose and the expected results. In addition, please describe how vocational training and retraining activities are organized in order to promote better adaptation of the labour force to employment prospects. Finally, please indicate whether measures have been adopted to respond to the needs of particular categories of the population such as women, young people and disabled workers.

4. Article 3 of the Convention. With reference to its previous request, in which it noted that the Act of 1991 on the employment of the population does not explicitly give employers' organizations the same right to participate in the formulation of employment policy as it gives to workers' unions, the Committee once again requests the Government to indicate the measures taken or under consideration in order to ensure that employers' representatives can participate, on an equal footing with workers' unions, not only in applying the employment policy but also at all stages of its formulation. Please indicate, furthermore, whether it is planned to include representatives of workers in the rural sector and the informal sector in the consultations required by this provision of the Convention. Please describe the practical procedures for these consultations.

5. Part V of the report form. Please indicate whether ILO technical cooperation projects relating to promotion of employment are in progress or planned.