Turkey urges G-20 to fight against poverty

GENEVA - Anadolu Agency

ILO Director General Guy Ryder (R) and Minister Faruk Çelik exchange letters concerning the Turkish parliament’s ratification of ILO conventions. DHA photo

Turkish Labor and Social Security Minister Faruk Çelik has called on G-20 states to turn their words into actions and work to reduce poverty globally.

“The G-20 platform has adopted many decisions and action plans. We believe that it is time for G-20 states to translate its words into actions,” Çelik said, referring to the Turkish G-20 Presidency in 2015, at a high-level session of the International Labor Organization (ILO) governing body meeting in Geneva on March 23.

Turkey has been the 2015 president of the G-20 since it took over the post from Australia on Dec. 1, 2014.
“G-20 countries, representing two-thirds of the world population, 85 percent of the global economy, set one of the best examples of global solidarity. The fact is the wealth of the 85 richest people equals the total income of 3.5 billion, in other words, half of the total global population. Unfortunately the rich become richer while the poor became poorer,” he said.     

Following the conference, ILO Director General Guy Ryder and minister Çelik exchanged letters concerning the Turkish parliament’s recent ratification of ILO conventions.

The Turkish Parliament approved the ILO convention on safety and health, following debates after mining disasters in Soma and Ermenek left 319 workers dead.

The ILO’s Convention No. 176, established in 1995, aims to prevent fatalities, injuries or ill health affecting workers or members of the public, including damage to the environment, from mining operations.