Chad Hosts Seminar on ILO Conventions 88 and 181 for Public Employment Services

A seminar for directors general of public employment services was held on November 11, 2026, in N'Djamena, Chad, on the sidelines of the second edition of the National Employment Forum. The meeting brought together more than 50 delegates from 18 countries, including 13 African countries. The seminar is part of the Sampès Afrika project, supported by the World Association of Public Employment Services, the German cooperation GIZ, and the New Match program.

The seminar focuses on two key instruments of the International Labour Organization: Convention 88 of 1948, related to the organization of free public employment services, and Convention 181 of 1997, which regulates private placement agencies and their complementarity with public services. The discussions aim to strengthen the strategic management of public employment services, promote the ratification of these conventions by states, and improve the performance of these structures through common indicators.

Six thematic axes will guide the discussions, including governance, ILO regulatory framework, ethics, service offerings, performance monitoring, and partnerships and advocacy. The seminar's conclusions will contribute to the development of the N'Djamena Declaration II and an advocacy kit to promote the ratification of Conventions 88 and 181. The Director General of the National Office for Employment Promotion, Nassouradine Abakar Kessou, emphasized the expectations of populations, particularly young people, in terms of professional insertion.

The President of the World Association of Public Employment Services, Ibrahim Ag Nock, highlighted the role of these conventions in promoting more equitable access to employment, particularly for young people, women, and people with disabilities. He also advocated for better regulation of private placement agencies, given the proliferation of informal or under-regulated structures. According to him, the conventions will strengthen the supervision of these actors and better protect workers against forced labor and abusive placement fees.

The Minister of Public Service and Social Concertation, Abdoulaye Mbodou Mbami, officially launched the seminar, emphasizing the difficulties of access to employment support programs, particularly for young people and women who are neither employed, nor in education, nor in training. He called on public employment services to go beyond their role of reception behind the counters and get closer to the populations.

The minister invited participants to formulate concrete recommendations, assuring that his department will pay particular attention to proposals aimed at strengthening the normative and institutional framework of public employment services in Chad. The seminar's discussions will also focus on the development of a roadmap to promote the implementation of Conventions 88 and 181 in Chad and other African countries.

The event is expected to conclude with a set of recommendations and a renewed commitment to promoting equitable access to employment, particularly for vulnerable groups. The implementation of Conventions 88 and 181 is seen as a crucial step towards improving the performance of public employment services and protecting workers' rights in Chad and beyond.

Key points

• The seminar aims to promote the ratification of ILO Conventions 88 and 181 by African countries.
• The conventions focus on the organization of public employment services and the regulation of private placement agencies.
• The event brought together over 50 delegates from 18 countries to discuss the implementation of the conventions.