ILO urges fairer global trade and stronger labour protections amid global economic fragmentation during an official visit to Bahrain
Director-General Houngbo called for promoting decent work through just digital and green transitions and social dialogue amid global trade and supply chain shifts during the Bab Al Bahrain Forum, and met with government, employer and worker representatives.
29 April 2025
MANAMA, Bahrain (ILO News) – International Labour Organization Director-General (ILO) Gilbert F. Houngbo has called for stronger global labour protections and fairer trade as a foundation for economic resilience and social justice amid growing geopolitical tensions and technological disruption to labour markets worldwide, during a two-day official visit to the Kingdom of Bahrain.
His call came during the Bab Al Bahrain Forum, an event organised by the Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) to promote sustainable development through global dialogue on trade, technology and employment. Director-General Houngbo participated in the Forum’s opening panel titled “Navigating Economic Transformation: The Impact of Shifting Global Blocs on Stability and Growth” alongside Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO) Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Bahrain’s Minister of Finance and National Economy of Bahrain Shaikh Salman bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, and Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Jassim Al-Budaiwi.
In the discussion, the Director-General said the long-term effects of raising trade tariffs depend on structural adjustments, policy responses and global retaliation. Through setting proactive labour policies, engaging workers and employers’ organizations in social dialogue and recommitting to fundamental principles and rights at work, Houngbo said, countries are more likely to chart a path into a global economy with fairer trade policies, more resilient supply chains and increased decent work.
He also called for robust social protection systems and targeted skills development to support workers through these shifts and through the rise of artificial intelligence and climate change. He highlighted the importance of aligning training with labour market needs, especially in green and digital sectors, and urged policymakers to strengthen partnerships between educational institutions and industries to address widening gaps between the skills workers have and those the labour markets need.
“Tripartite social dialogue is critical to ensure the response to global trade fragmentation protects both people and productivity,” Houngbo explained.
Strengthening tripartism and regional cooperation
The Director-General held a series of high-level meetings which reaffirmed the importance of strengthening collaboration to support fair, inclusive and sustainable labour markets in Bahrain and across the GCC region. Houngbo met with Bahrain’s Minister of Legal Affairs and Acting Minister of Labour Yousif bin Abdul-Hussain Khalaf, and with the Director-General of the Executive Bureau of the Council of Ministers of Labour and Ministers of Social Affairs in GCC states Mohammed Al Obaidli. In addition, the Director General’s visit included meetings with BCCI Chairman Samir Abdullah Nass, BCCI Board Member and ILO Governing Body Employer Member Sonya Janahi, and United Nations Resident Coordinator for Bahrain Khaled Al Mekwad.
A cornerstone of the visit was Houngbo’s participation in a tripartite meeting which brought together representatives from Bahrain’s Ministry of Labour, BCCI, the General Federation of Workers Trade Unions in Bahrain (GFBTU) and the Bahrain Free Labour Unions Federation (BFLUF). The ILO Director-General and the partners discussed ways to better promote decent work, advance social dialogue and strengthen labour governance. Houngbo reiterated the ILO’s support for greater institutionalisation of tripartite mechanisms to ensure workers, employers and governments shape labour reforms collaboratively.
Expanding partnerships and promoting decent work across the region
Throughout his mission, Houngbo reaffirmed the ILO’s commitment to deepening its partnership with Bahrain and GCC countries, including through the implementation of regional ILO projects which aim to promote fair recruitment, strengthen social protection for migrant workers and support decent work for all. He also expressed the ILO’s readiness to support Bahrain in developing a Decent Work Country Programme, aligned with its national priorities and Vision 2030.
“Bahrain and the wider GCC region have an opportunity to lead in shaping a model of economic transformation that is dynamic, inclusive and rights-based,” Houngbo concluded. “The ILO stands ready to support this journey.”