The active participation and institutional presence of Gilbert F. Houngbo reflected the ILO's strong commitment to promoting people-centred financing that prioritizes decent work, social protection and social justice at the global level.
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From Seville to Doha: Laying the groundwork for a new social contract
One of the highlights of the Director-General's visit was his participation in the high-level special event "From Seville to Doha: Financing Inclusive and Sustainable Social Development", co-organized by the ILO, the Governments of Spain and Qatar, and the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA). This preparatory meeting for the Second World Summit for Social Development (WSSD2), to be held in Doha in November, brought together global leaders, financial institutions and social organizations.
In his address, Mr Gilbert F. Houngbo called for the social dimension to remain at the heart of economic and fiscal strategies, stressing that social protection systems and decent employment not only strengthen the social fabric but also represent a productive investment in sustainable development. The event was preceded by a joint press conference with Spain's Minister of Labour and Social Economy, Yolanda Díaz, during which the urgency of building a new global social contract based on multilateralism, empathy and social justice was underscored. The ILO reaffirmed its commitment as a key actor in the lead-up to Doha.
During his stay in Spain, Director-General Gilbert F. Houngbo also took part in the official launch of the Seville Platform for the Financing of Social Protection, a new ILO-led initiative aimed at supporting countries in designing tailored financing strategies to increase social protection coverage by at least two percentage points annually, in line with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) indicator 1.3.1 and the Seville Commitment.
The ILO Director-General also moderated a multistakeholder roundtable on the mobilization and alignment of domestic public resources. Heads of State and Government, Ministers of Finance and Foreign Affairs, and leaders of multilateral banks took part in the discussion on how to raise and manage public revenues more effectively in support of national sustainable development strategies.
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The ILO Office for Spain supported this high-level agenda by participating in a range of technical and thematic side events that reinforced the Organization's mandate. The Office Director, Félix Peinado, spoke at the event "The Rights of Indigenous Peoples in the Renewed Global Financial Framework", co-organized by the ILO, the World Bank and the Fund for the Development of Indigenous Peoples of Latin America and the Caribbean (FILAC), highlighting the importance of integrating these rights into international financing systems. Likewise, the Office's Technical Adviser, Sara López, took part in the event "Investing in Care for Equality and Prosperity", which focused on expanding gender-responsive social protection and strengthening national care systems as a social and economic driver.
Experts from the ILO Office and from the ILO's Social Protection Department in Geneva also provided technical support in other events addressing the creation of more equitable fiscal systems and the promotion of decent work, in coordination with various UN agencies, governments and civil society organizations.
The ILO's participation in FfD4 concluded with the adoption of the Seville Commitment, which sets out the objective of expanding social protection coverage in all countries, with particular emphasis on low- and middle-income countries. Laura Thompson, ILO Deputy Director-General, addressed the Conference plenary to underscore the need to reform the global financial architecture and align macroeconomic policies with inclusive growth, employment and fundamental rights.
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With an eye on the upcoming Doha Summit, the ILO reaffirms its role as a driving force and technical reference in advancing social financing as a foundation for global justice, promoting sustainable frameworks that prioritize people, decent work and social cohesion.
