The Governing Body of the International Labour Organization considered a number of issues, including the Russian aggression against Ukraine, the situation in Myanmar, Belarus and Venezuela, and elected new officers.

The 345th session of the Governing Body  of the International Labour Organization (ILO) reiterated its call for the Russian Federation  to immediately and unconditionally cease its aggression against Ukraine. It requested the ILO Director-General to prepare for consideration at the Governing Body’s 346th Session, in October–November 2022, detailed options for the possible relocation of the ILO’s Decent Work Technical Support Team and Country Office for Eastern Europe and Central Asia, which is currently based in Moscow.

The Governing Body decided to include on the agenda of its 346th session an item on the consideration of any further measures, including those foreseen in the ILO’s Constitution, to secure compliance by the Government of Belarus with the recommendations of the 2004 Commission of Inquiry, which looked at Belarus’s observance of the ILO Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention, 1948 (No. 87) . They requested the ILO Director-General to prepare a report on the issue.

The situation in Myanmar was discussed  and the Governing Body appointed the three independent members of the Commission of Inquiry  that has been set up to examine the non-observance of the Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention, 1948 (No. 87) and the Forced Labour Convention, 1930 (No. 29) .

Turning to Venezuela, the Governing Body took note of progress concerning the operation of the social dialogue forum in giving effect to the recommendations of the Commission of Inquiry, issued in 2019, and agreed to continue collaborating with the Government and social partners  on the effective application of international labour standards. It requested the Director-General to submit a report to its next session.

The Governing Body adopted the report of the Committee on Freedom of Association .

The Governing Body elected Claudia Fuentes-Julio, the Permanent Representative of Chile to the United Nations in Geneva as its new Chairperson and she will discharge this responsibility for 12 months.

Renata Hornung-Draus, from Germany, was re-elected as Employers’ Vice-Chairperson of the Governing Body and Catelene Passchier, from the Netherlands, was re-elected as Workers’ Vice-Chairperson.