KUWAIT: Kuwait on Saturday welcomed International Labour Organization’s decision to change Palestine’s membership status from ‘liberation movement’ to ‘non-member observer state’, which was taken during a meeting on Friday.
The decision is considered an international recognition of Palestine’s just cause, and goes in line with a UN General Assembly resolution in 2024 that calls for full membership for the State of Palestine, Kuwait’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
Palestine on Friday officially became a “non-member observer state” in the International Labour Organization instead of the previous designation as a “liberation movement” a status that had been in place since 1975.
The plenary of the 113th Session of the International Labour Conference currently taking place in Geneva officially adopted a relevant resolution entitled “Status of Palestine in the International Labour Organization (ILO) and Participation Rights of Palestine in ILO Meetings”.
This move aligns with developments at the United Nations General Assembly which conferred the same status on Palestine in 2012. The resolution which had previously been endorsed by the General Affairs Committee earlier this week was adopted based on a recommendation from the ILO Governing Body.
Under the resolution, Palestine is now entitled to participate in future sessions of the International Labour Conference and regional meetings with a tripartite delegation representing the government employers and workers. It also allows Palestine to speak during general discussions and participate in technical committees without the right to vote or submit proposals in line with certain participation rights extended under the UN framework.
Under the current Standing Orders of the Conference representatives of Palestine may take the floor in the plenary only with the authorization of the President during the discussion of the Reports of the Chairperson of the Governing Body and of the Director-General.
They may also attend the sittings of technical committees and participate in their work with the authorization of the Chairperson without the right to vote or to submit proposals. – KUNA
