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The Committee notes the Government’ s report received in November 2005, the comments made by the General Union of Cameroon Workers (UGTC), the comments made by the General Confederation of Labour-Liberté of Cameroon (CGT-Liberté), and the observations made by the Government in response.

1. Formulation and implementation of a national employment policy. The Government indicates that a declaration on national employment policy was drawn up in 2000, but that it has not been possible to formulate the national employment policy itself due to the country’s low level of economic development. The Government points out, however, that financing provided by the Enhanced Initiative for Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) has permitted the establishment of the Ministry of Employment and Vocational Training (MINEFOP), one of the missions of which is to formulate and implement the national policy on employment and vocational training and integration. In this regard, the Committee notes Decree No. 2005/123 of 15 April 2005 concerning the organization of MINEFOP, and, in particular, the provisions relating to the mission of the Employment Promotion Department (section 23). The Government indicates that, in November 2005, MINEFOP organized the General Conference on Employment, the resolutions of which should form the basis for the formulation of the national employment policy. Many of the speakers at the General Conference on Employment emphasized that employment remains a problem, despite the implementation of economic and social strategies, and commented on the absence of a coherent national employment policy that is integrated into economic policy. The Committee notes that this first General Conference on Employment made it possible to identify vulnerable groups in the labour market (women, young persons, persons with disabilities, marginalized groups, the long-term unemployed and the prison population) and to formulate recommendations and strategies to promote employment in different sectors as a basis for developing a national employment strategy. In this regard, the Committee notes that the Government has undertaken to set up a committee to support, implement, monitor and evaluate the recommendations of the General Conference on Employment and that this committee will include all the economic and social partners. It hopes that the Government will be in a position to indicate, in its next report, the specific measures adopted and implemented to promote full, productive and freely chosen employment (Article 1 of the Convention).

2. Coordination of employment policy with poverty reduction. The Government indicates that Cameroon, which joined the HIPC initiative in October 2000, has drawn up a Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP) in which employment plays a fundamental role. The Committee notes that the International Development Association (IDA) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) have indicated that Cameroon has met the requirements for reaching the completion point under the HIPC initiative, including, most notably, satisfactory implementation of the poverty reduction strategy, maintenance of macroeconomic stability, social sector and structural reforms, and actions to improve governance and reduce corruption (IMF Country Report No. 06/190, May 2006). The Committee notes that the third annual progress report of the PRSP, covering 2005, was completed in February 2006 and that the IDA and IMF considered the implementation of the PRSP to be satisfactory in 2005. In particular, they indicate that the National Employment Fund has continued its actions on the socio-occupational integration of young people in paid jobs and self-employment, notably through the signing of a partnership agreement between the Government and the Cameroon Employers’ Association (GICAM), the integration of jobseekers and the conclusion of agreements with vocational training centres and some enterprises for the validation of training modules (IMF Country Report No. 06/260, July 2006). The Committee asks the Government to provide up to date information in its next report on the measures taken to ensure that employment, as a key factor in poverty reduction, is at the heart of macroeconomic and social policy. It also asks the Government to provide information disaggregated by group on the results achieved, particularly for the vulnerable groups identified in point 2 of this observation, following the adoption of these measures (Articles 1 and 2).

3. Collection and analysis of statistical data. The Government states that it is currently unable to provide any reliable statistical data, but indicates that the National Employment and Vocational Training Observatory (ONEFOP) has been in operation since 1 July 2005. The Committee notes that during the General Conference on Employment, speakers emphasized that there was a lack of knowledge of the labour market and its functioning, due to the absence of reliable statistical information. The Committee notes that the Government has launched a general survey of the population, most notably to determine the distribution of the labour force, the nature and trends of unemployment and underemployment, income, and poverty levels. The Committee hopes that the Government will provide information in its next report on the activities of ONEFOP and on the progress made on producing reliable statistical data. The Government is also requested to indicate how the measures adopted within the framework of the national employment policy are decided upon and followed up within the framework of a coordinated economic and social policy (Article 2).

4. Participation of the social partners in the formulation and implementation of policies. In its report, the Government indicates that the general objective of the General Conference on Employment was to gather the opinions of all the social partners with a view to establishing a definitive national employment policy and that, in this respect, extensive consultation took place with representative organizations of employers and workers, administrations and even civil society. The Committee notes that speakers emphasized the need to establish a permanent operational framework for social dialogue between the Government and the social partners. It notes that the General Conference on Employment recommended that committees be set up to assist the development of local employment by bringing together the social partners to reflect and act at the local level with a view to the creation of employment. The Committee invites the Government to provide information on the measures taken to give effect to these recommendations with a view to ensuring that the representatives of the persons affected, particularly those in the rural sector and the informal economy, collaborate fully in the formulation of employment policies (Article 3).

The Committee hopes that the Government will make every effort to take the necessary action in the very near future.