Unemployment to stay above pre-COVID levels until ‘at least’ 2023, the International Labor Organization (ILO) head said on Monday.
At a UN press conference, ILO Director-General Guy Ryder said this year’s unemployment estimate is 207 million, compared to 186 million in 2019, as he introduced the ILO World Employment and Social Outlook – Trends 2022.
“Inequality and the unequal policy response to COVID-19 have been a constant concern of the ILO driven,” said Ryder.
The unequal response is impacted by “unequal fiscal space” and the fact that richer countries could invest more in stimulus and protection than their counterparts in developing and emerging countries, he noted.
Such factors indicate the need to reinforce “international cooperation,” said Ryder.
