The United Nations and the International Labour Organisation (ILO) have called on African governments and stakeholders to adopt employment-focused strategies to tackle protracted crises, emphasizing the importance of skills development, decent work, and local capacity building in building resilient communities. The appeal was made during a side event at the ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD).
The event brought together governments, UN agencies, employers’ and workers’ organisations, academia, and civil society to discuss labour-intensive approaches that not only mitigate the impact of disasters but also address the underlying causes of instability.
ILO Assistant Director-General André Bogui said sustainable resilience depends on inclusive labour markets and investment in local capacity. “It means building employment-intensive approaches and ensuring long-term development outcomes,” he explained. UN Special Representative for Disaster Risk Reduction, Kamal Kishore, added that recovery efforts should go beyond restoring existing jobs and infrastructure to creating diversified, resilient sources of income.
Drawing on Japan’s experience with natural disasters, Ambassador Nobuharu Imanishi of Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs noted that investment in infrastructure and continuous maintenance strengthens local expertise, which is crucial for recovery and resilience. Representatives of the Japan Business Federation and the Japanese Trade Union Confederation highlighted the importance of social dialogue, volunteer mobilisation, and protection of vulnerable groups.
ILO Regional Director for Africa, Fanfan Rwanyindo, said that employment-intensive projects equip communities with new skills, providing sustainable livelihoods and pathways out of public employment programmes. African examples included climate-resilient agriculture, local road-building, and skills training for marginalized groups.
Speakers agreed that scaling such initiatives is key to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and fulfilling commitments under the Sendai Framework. TICAD, led by Japan since 1993, continues to serve as a platform for African ownership and international partnership in sustainable development. The event concluded with a unified message: decent work, skills, and social protection are central to Africa’s resilience and long-term growth.
