Phase 3 of the Integrated Programme for Fair Recruitment (FAIR III), a major project focused on improving labour migration governance , has reached its conclusion in Côte d'Ivoire.

Launched in 2023, this joint initiative of the Ivorian Government , the International Labour Organization (ILO) and Switzerland presented its results at a closing workshop held on Monday, December 1, 2025, in Abidjan-Plateau.

A strategic partnership for decent work

The meeting brought together prominent figures, including Coumba Diop , Director of the ILO Country Office, Dominique Favre , Swiss Ambassador to Côte d'Ivoire, and Frédéric Kabran , representative of the Ministry in charge of Youth Promotion, as well as partner institutions and project beneficiaries.

In her speech, Coumba Diop recalled that FAIR III is intrinsically linked to the ILO's vision of promoting decent work for all . She stressed the crucial importance of protecting workers and providing decent employment opportunities as fundamental objectives of the Organization.

Concrete progress towards fair recruitment

Since its launch, the FAIR III project has generated several significant achievements:

1. Support for international placement: Support for the development of the international placement service, in close collaboration with the Public Employment Service.
2. Awareness-raising and training: Supporting ten students from the Institute of Communication Sciences and Techniques (ISTC) in the production of thematic reports on forced labor, migration and fair recruitment.
3. Institutional strengthening: Major contribution to the strengthening of Private Employment Agencies (PEAs) , resulting in the creation of the first national association of PEAs in Ivory Coast.
4. Reintegration of migrants: Facilitating the socio-economic reintegration of 20 Ivorian migrants returning from Tunisia, through skills training.

Sustainable solutions and a concerted approach

Ms. Diop expressed her satisfaction with the results, describing them as sustainable solutions for migrant workers who actively contribute to the dynamism of the Ivorian economy . She emphasized that these successes are the fruit of a concerted approach encompassing public administrations, employers' and workers' organizations, sister agencies, and technical and financial partners. She specifically thanked the Ivorian authorities, the Swiss Cooperation , and the Italian Government for their support.

Ambassador Dominique Favre reaffirmed Switzerland's commitment, which has supported the FAIR initiative for over a decade. Its objective is to consolidate safer, more transparent, and fairer recruitment practices for all migrant workers.

The workshop also provided an opportunity to assess the challenges encountered and to define the future perspectives needed to ensure the sustainability of the project's achievements.