ILO convenes a high-level meeting to advance the practical implementation of the Building an Equitable and Inclusive Transformation (BEIT) Project

The International Labour Organization (ILO), in collaboration with the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs and the European Union, convened a high-level coordination meeting to discuss the implementation of activities under the Building an Equitable and Inclusive Transformation (BEIT) project for the period 2025–2026. The meeting was attended by H.E. Dr. Khalid Amjad Al-Saigh, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, along with Directors General and senior technical officials from the Ministry.

The meeting was held within the framework of the BEIT project, funded by the European Union and jointly implemented by the International Labour Organization, the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), and the International Trade Centre (ITC), in close partnership with the Government of Iraq. The project aims to support national efforts to promote decent work and foster inclusive and sustainable economic growth.

The meeting marked an important institutional milestone to review progress achieved in 2025 and to agree on priorities for the upcoming phase, with a focus on anchoring project outputs within national frameworks and advancing a structured transition towards practical implementation. This approach seeks to ensure that lessons learned, and successful experiences are translated into scalable and actionable policies and programmes that deliver tangible results on the ground.

Participants discussed ways to strengthen institutional coordination among the various departments of the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs and to ensure coherence and complementarity of roles and responsibilities. Discussions focused on public works programmes using the employment-intensive investment approach, the strengthening of social security systems, occupational safety and health, the elimination of child labour—especially in the construction sector—as well as the promotion of equality and non-discrimination, and the activation of institutionalized social dialogue and collective bargaining.

Dr Khalid Amjad Al-Saigh, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, highlighted the achievements made in the implementation of the Building an Equitable and Inclusive Transformation (BEIT) project, particularly the progress in designing public works programmes, strengthening labour governance, and laying the foundations for the institutionalization of national tripartite social dialogue in Iraq. He emphasized that “the project represents a significant opportunity for Iraq to support the creation of decent work opportunities and to entrench social dialogue as an effective tool for advancing legislative, policy, and programme reforms related to the labour market in Iraq.”

In response, the European Union reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the Government of Iraq through the BEIT project and other initiatives. Mr Ali Al-Naseri, Programme Manager for Infrastructure and Energy Programmes at the Delegation of the European Union to Iraq, underlined “the European Union’s steadfast commitment, through the BEIT project and its broader portfolio, to supporting the Iraqi people and their Government in developing public works programmes, strengthening social protection systems, promoting equality, reducing child labour, and advancing institutionalized social dialogue.”

For his part, Mr Albert Orio, BEIT Project Manager at the International Labour Organization, emphasized that “the Building an Equitable and Inclusive Transformation project serves as a support platform, while the integrated leadership of the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs is the true driving force for advancing decent work in Iraq.”

The meeting also addressed coordination and reporting mechanisms, including the integration of project results into Iraq’s reports on the application of International Labour Conventions, as well as the identification of priorities for 2026 and the development of an implementation roadmap to ensure alignment between national policies and practical execution.

The International Labour Organization reaffirmed its commitment to continuing its support to the Government of Iraq in promoting decent work through integrated and implementable interventions that contribute to institutional reform and the achievement of equitable and inclusive development, grounded in social dialogue and close collaboration among all partners.

This high-level meeting reaffirmed the strength of the partnership between the International Labour Organization, the Government of Iraq, and international partners, and their shared commitment to advancing decent work in Iraq.