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1. Coordination of employment policy with poverty reduction. The Committee notes the Government’s report received in 2003 containing information in reply to the observation of 2002. The Committee previously wished to know the results obtained, in terms of job creation, by the programmes which were established in the context of the national poverty reduction strategy. In its report, the Government mentions a programme designed to achieve balanced regional development and another programme aimed at promoting economic and social productivity in relation to the development of rural communities, the promotion of productivity and infrastructures for supporting investment. The Committee hopes that the Government will provide in its next report detailed information on the measures taken to ensure that employment, as a key component of poverty reduction, will be at the focus of economic and social policies. The Committee hopes that this report will contain more detailed information to enable it to evaluate to what extent the employment objectives contained in the national poverty reduction strategy have been, or are being, attained. Please state the manner in which these employment objectives have been taken into account in the adoption of general economic policy measures in areas such as monetary and budget policy or commercial policy. Please also indicate the observed or expected impact on employment of measures to privatize and establish export processing zones (Articles 1 and 2 of the Convention).

2. According to the statistical data transmitted by the Government, the overall unemployment rate in 2002 was 15.3 per cent, but 21.9 per cent for women, the employment rate of women was still very low (9.6 per cent compared with 55.2 per cent for men). The Committee requests the Government to communicate in its next report more detailed statistics on the situation and trends in employment, unemployment and underemployment, by age, sex, level of education and sector of activity.

3. Labour market and training policies. Also referring to the information provided by the Government in its report on the application of Convention No. 142, the Committee notes the measures taken to strengthen vocational training systems and adapt them to the needs of the labour market. It invites the Government to continue to provide information on programmes implemented in relation to vocational training, by communicating all relevant information on the manner in which they contribute to the integration of their beneficiaries, particularly women, in employment.

4. Consultation of the representatives of the persons affected. Referring to its previous requests, the Committee again requests the Government to describe the manner in which representatives of groups concerned are consulted with regard to employment policies, by stating the issues placed before them. Please indicate the measures taken or contemplated in order to involve not only employers’ and workers’ representatives but also the representatives of other sectors of the active population, such as persons working in the rural sector or the informal economy, in these consultations (Article 3).

5. ILO technical cooperation. The Committee has been informed of the implementation of a number of ILO technical cooperation projects which may favour the application of the Convention, including, in particular, the project to strengthen the capacity of the Ministry of Labour with regard to job creation and poverty reduction. It requests the Government to indicate the action taken as a result of the implementation of these projects (Part V of the report form).