SARAJEVO, November 11 (FENA) – The first Labor and Employment Forum under the title “Dialogue and Partnership for the Future” brought together representatives from government, employment services, trade unions, employers, academia, civil society, and international partners at Mount Jahorina. Today and tomorrow, they will discuss the challenges and opportunities the labor market will face in the future.
The forum was organized by the Employment Agency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with the support of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), the International Organization for Migration (IOM), and the Friedrich Ebert Foundation.
Director of the Employment Agency of BiH, Ivan Barbalić, stated that BiH is part of the European labor market, as our workers go to European countries, and our employers increasingly seek foreign labor.
He added that these are ongoing trends that need to be regulated, and therefore it is important to bring together all stakeholders to discuss cooperation in addressing challenges such as migration, digitalization, and the green transition.
Edis Arifagić, Coordinator of the International Labour Organization (ILO) for BiH, emphasized that new forms of work are emerging that go beyond traditional factory or office jobs, as a large amount of work is carried out in the digital space where many workers are not represented through traditional social dialogue.
He noted that the goal of the ILO is to expand social dialogue, which occurs between the state, employers, and trade unions, to include new forms of work and populations that are marginalized, such as women, youth, and digital workers.
Ljiljana Jurak, Assistant Minister of Civil Affairs of BiH, highlighted the importance of youth employment in order to retain young people in BiH, as their enthusiasm and knowledge are the only future we have.
It was emphasized that the forum aims to become a permanent annual platform for strategic dialogue on the labor market, alignment with European policies, and modernization of public employment services, as well as an incubator for new ideas, partnerships, and projects.
