Collaboration between the ITCILO and the Government of Portugal

Portugal has for decades been a strategic partner of the ITCILO. With the aim of fostering decent work, the creation of more and better jobs and increased employability in the Portuguese-speaking countries (Angola, Brazil, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Equatorial Guinea, Mozambique, Portugal, São Tomé and Príncipe and Timor-Leste), Portugal and the ITCILO have established a rich and varied collaboration in implementation of training programmes on topics of social protection, employment and vocational training.

Through this partnership, Portugal also promotes the use internationally of Portuguese as a language of work and disseminates Portuguese best practices in the areas of the collaboration.

Since December 2010, the Employment and Vocational Training Institute of Portugal (IEFP, IP) and the ITCILO have had a collaboration agreement that includes a fixed contribution for the operation of the ITCILO and a voluntary contribution for the carrying out of a training programme meant for institutional capacity-building of the member States of the CPLP on topics of employment and vocational training.

Portugal finances the ITCILO by means of:

• a fixed contribution for the operation of the ITCILO: EUR 2.5 million
• a contribution for the carrying out of training programmes: EUR 3.3 million from 2010 to 2020

Contribution of the Government of Portugal to the ITCILO, 2010-2020:

In 2015 the Office of Strategy and Planning of the Ministry of Labour, Solidarity and Social Security (GEP/MTSSS) and the ITCILO agreed the carrying out of a training programme within the framework of the ACTION Portugal Project for strengthening of the social protection systems of the PALOPs and Timor-Leste. This programme, now in its second phase and with an expected duration going up to the end of 2021, has been undertaking activities of technical assistance, training and skills development, exchange of experience and practical cases, and launching of relevant publications and working documents in Portuguese, in close partnership with the constituents and the relevant institutions of the PALOPs and Timor-Leste.

The actions of ACTION/Portugal fall within the Global Flagship Programme on Building Social Protection Floors for All and the Agenda 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.