President Halonen opens first meeting of ILO World Commission on the Social Dimension of Globalization in Geneva

President Halonen today opened the first meeting of the ILO World Commission on the Social Dimension of Globalization in Geneva. In her opening address, she described the Commission's work as both "timely" and "daring". The Commission had been created in response to a clear need: "Globalisation is here to stay, and we have to find ways to make it work for people and bring its benefits to as many as possible," said the President. The fact that the questions to be dealt with are politically controversial and arouse passionate emotions globally makes the Commission's work especially demanding.

In the President's view, the Commission's task is to present practical real world proposals and recommendations to guide the development of globalisation. Globalisation must be made to work for people and the environment.
She emphasised that the members of the Commission were working in their personal capacities and that each would contribute his or her special expertise to its work.

President Halonen referred to her discussions with heads of state and representatives of international organisations at the Monterrey Conference on Financing for Development and said the work of the Commission had attracted much interest. In her opinion, the Commission's work fits well together with what is being done by other international organisations.

Director-General Juan Somavia of the ILO invited 21 high-level persons to serve on the Commission. The co-chairs are President Halonen and President Benjamin Mkapa of Tanzania. The meeting that began today will continue tomorrow. The next meeting of the Commission will be in May.