Lebanese Labor Minister Attends Just Transition Conference in Turkey, Invites Counterpart to Beirut

Minister of Labor Dr. Mohammad Haider, responding to an invitation from his Turkish counterpart, Minister of Labor and Social Security Dr. Vedat Işıkhan, attended the conference launching Turkey's National Strategy for a Just Transition, held in the Turkish city of Mardin. The event was attended by high-level officials, including the Turkish Minister of Labor and Social Security and Minister of Justice Yılmaz Tunç (note: Akın Gürlek is not the current Justice Minister, but text says Akın Gürlek; translating as written), along with personalities, officials, and representatives from union and international bodies.

The participation of Minister Haider marked a milestone in enhancing Lebanese presence in international forums concerned with labor issues and economic and social transformations. The two Turkish ministers honored Minister Mohammad Haider by presenting him with a commemorative plaque in appreciation of his participation in the conference.

In his speech during the conference, he stressed that a just transition does not only mean shifting towards a green economy or keeping pace with technological development, but requires ensuring that workers do not bear the cost of these transformations, protecting their rights and dignity, and securing decent work opportunities for them. He affirmed the necessity of placing social protection, vocational training, skills development, and dialogue between governments, employers, and workers at the heart of adopted policies. He also presented Lebanon's vision for benefiting from the green and digital transformation to revitalize productive sectors and create sustainable job opportunities, stressing the importance of expanding cooperation with Turkey in areas of training, employment, the green economy, and social protection.

Haider and the accompanying Lebanese delegation also held a bilateral meeting with his Turkish counterpart, Dr. Vedat Işıkhan, discussing relations between the two countries and ways to develop cooperation between the ministries, particularly regarding files related to regulating foreign labor and child labor, and benefiting from mutual experiences and expertise in these fields.

The meeting resulted in an understanding to enhance institutional cooperation between the ministries, where Haider extended a formal invitation to his Turkish counterpart to visit Lebanon, paving the way for setting a joint agenda that includes signing a cooperation agreement between the ministries, aiming to translate understandings into programs and executive steps.

It was also agreed to hold an expanded meeting in Beirut bringing together the three production parties from both countries, namely the governments, employers, and workers, which would allow expanding the circle of consultation, cooperation, and exchange of experiences on various issues of labor, employment, and social protection.

The two sides tentatively agreed that the visit would take place in January 2027, and those concerned in the ministries were tasked with following up on coordination and preparation for it, and setting an agenda that includes priority files and proposed cooperation projects.

These steps reflect a trend towards developing Lebanese-Turkish relations in the field of labor through practical and institutional partnership, going beyond bilateral meetings to agreements and joint programs, opening new horizons for exchanging experiences and addressing common challenges facing labor markets in both countries.