Johannesburg - The Department of Labour and Employment has announced a BRICS Labour and Employment Ministers' Meeting (LEMM), which began today at the Radisson Blu Hotel Durban Umhlanga from September 26–29, 2023.
According to the department, the meeting is for the labour and employment stream following the recent BRICS Leaders' Summit that took place in August 2023.
“This stream consists of the Employment Working Group (EWG), the BRICS Network of Labour Research Institute, and the LEMM. The EWG and the Research Network Forum meetings previously took place in February (Gauteng), May (Port Alfred), and June (Geneva, Switzerland).
In preparation for the LEMM, the Fourth EWG and the BRICS Network of Labour Research Institute meetings will be held on September 26–27, 2023. At these gatherings, senior officials and technical experts will consider issues such as the Ministerial Declaration, the Report on Social Protection in BRICS Countries, the BRICS Productivity Platform, and ways to strengthen collaboration between the BRICS countries at the multilateral level, said the department.
The EWG and Network of Labour Research Institute meetings will culminate in a two-day meeting of ministers on September 28–29, 2023, where they will adopt the eThekwini Declaration.
The department says that ministers are expected to emphasise labour rights, universal access to social protection, skills development, and sustainable enterprises to foster inclusive and sustainable economic growth.
“Moreover, they will seek to deepen collaboration at multilateral forums to shape global labour market policies and agendas. Their efforts align with the call of BRICS leaders to achieve a human-centred recovery and the UN's 2030 Sustainable Development Goals,” said the department.
In addition to the BRICS ministers, Minister Thulas Nxesi also invited his counterparts from Cuba, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia, and Zimbabwe. Representatives of social partners and international organisations, such as the International Labour Organisation (ILO), the International Social Security Agency (ISSA), and the African Regional Labour Administration Centre (ARLAC), will also be present. Leaders from the KwaZulu-Natal Province and eThekwini will deliver welcome addresses to international delegates.
Also attending will be the ministers of social development and small business development, as well as senior officials and experts.
The Star