Ramatoulaye Camara has officially taken over as Guinea's Minister of Employment, Labor, and Social Protection. The ceremony, held at the ministry's headquarters in Kaloum, marked the beginning of her tenure. Camara outlined her priorities, which include five key areas: professional insertion of youth and women, strengthening social dialogue, expanding social coverage, improving administrative efficiency, and developing partnerships. Her goals align with the Simandou 2040 program, a national development plan aimed at sustainable and responsible socio-economic growth.
In her inaugural speech, Camara expressed gratitude to President of the Republic for entrusting her with the role. She also acknowledged the support of Prime Minister Amadou Oury Bah. Camara emphasized her commitment to contributing to the government's action plan with rigor, loyalty, and determination. She stressed that her appointment is not just an honor but a responsibility, and her success will be measured by the results she achieves.
Camara's vision for the ministry involves placing social dimensions at the heart of Guinea's economic transformation under the Simandou 2040 program. This includes anticipating labor needs, adapting qualifications to market demands, and ensuring jobs that respect workers' rights. She aims to ensure that the benefits of large projects benefit local businesses and related sectors, such as logistics and services. Facilitating access to opportunities generated by these investments for youth and women is a priority.
Before her appointment, Camara served as Secretary General of the ministry and managed its day-to-day affairs. With this experience, she plans to build on existing achievements while focusing on planning, monitoring, and evaluating results. Notable progress includes updating the 2026 operational action plan and developing a medium-term expenditure framework for 2027-2029. These efforts aim to align strategic orientations, budget resources, and expected outcomes.
The minister highlighted progress in social dialogue, citing consultations with trade unions, worker organizations, and the patronage. These discussions contributed to resolving a strike and resuming activities at a mining company in Mandiana. Camara sees this as an example of negotiation's role in preserving jobs, workers' income, and production. She also reported that nearly 800 million GNF in penalties was recovered by the Labor Inspectorate.
Camara's agenda includes strengthening the Labor Inspectorate and enforcing corrective measures. A capacity-building program has been launched for 1,300 young people across ten locations through the Guinean Agency for Employment and Entrepreneurship. Preparations for a national project to formalize the informal economy are underway, aiming to provide better access to rights and social protection for those involved.
The minister has defined five priority areas for her tenure: employment and professional insertion, social dialogue, social protection, administrative efficiency, and partnership development. She aims to enhance the national employment policy and the capacities of the Guinean Agency for Employment and Entrepreneurship. Other objectives include reforming the Labor Code, improving working conditions, and expanding access to social protection.
Key points
- Ramatoulaye Camara outlines priorities for employment, labor, and social protection in Guinea.
- The minister aims to enhance social dialogue, expand social coverage, and improve administrative efficiency.
- Camara's goals align with the Simandou 2040 program, a national development plan for sustainable and responsible socio-economic growth.
