Addis Ababa, April 20 (NNN-ENA) The 11th African Regional Meeting of the International Labour Organization (ILO) will be held here from April 24 to 27, ILO Regional Director Regina Amadi Njoku said Thursday.

Brifing the media here Thursday on the meeting, due to be held under the threme "Decent Work Agenda in Africa 2007-2015", he said it is expected to deliberate on various issues related to Africa’s development.

The meeting will focus on critical issues related to African development, in line with the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), including job creation, youth employment, child labor, labour migration, sustainable enterprises and social protection.

It would also discuss ways of linking the issue of decent workplace with the MDGs, she said, adding that other workplace and social issues such as social protection, HIV/AIDS, women entrepreneurship, international labour standards, occupational safety and health would also be top on the agenda of the meeting.

Njoku said although Africa had been registering an encouraging economic growth over the past couple of years, it was impossible to attain the MDGs without employment-rich growth that generates decent employment opportunities.

Africa needs 11 million new job opportunities yearly to meet the MDGs but the jobs being created annually in Africa total not more than 8.6 million.

HIV/AIDS, rampant conflicts, migration, and brain drain of qualified Africans are the challenges that are significantly affecting Africa’s human capital and diminishing its work force, she said.

ILO Director General Juan Somavia will highlight two major reports while the African Employment Trends -- a comprehensive publication for the region -- will also be launched during ARM 2007.

The meeting will be preceded by a social partners preparatory workshop and a high-level panel discussion on the private sector in Africa due to be held on April 22 and 23, respectively.

Some 300 participants including African Heads of States, Ministers, Employer and Worker representatives as well as key international stakeholders are expected to attend the meeting.

High-level participants will include, among others, Professor Alpha Oumar Konare, Chairperson of the AU Commission, Abdoulie Janneh, Executive Secretary of the UNECA, Kemal Dervis, Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme, Gertrude Mongella, and Chairperson of the Pan African Parliament.

Since the AU Extraordinary Summit on Employment and Poverty Alleviation in Africa, the ILO’s Decent Work Agenda has gained momentum and has been accepted internationally as a specific goal to achieve the MDGs.