Kagame advocates innovative approach to social protection

Rwandan president Paul Kagame has called for inclusive, global response to tackle mass unemployment in the wake of the pandemic. Kagame was speaking at a virtual session of the World Economic Forum which features a new social contract on Monday.

"In fact, the pandemic has also reminded us of how we are interlinked and how we are interdependent in many ways, so that in one part of the globe, things are happening that affect the other part as well, it doesn't matter how rich or how poor we are. It must be inclusive, therefore, globally, otherwise existing inequalities among countries will only grow wider and the working conditions in the developing countries will degrade", Kagame said.

Kagame also advocated for innovative approaches to tackle social protection.

"An important point is the arbitrary distinction between formal and informal sector employment, particularly in the developing countries. Many earn their livelihood as small scale entrepreneurs, especially women and young people. We need therefore innovative and comprehensive approaches to social protection that include workers of all backgrounds and types", he added.

Also on the virtual session was Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez. The Southwestern European nation is one of countries most impacted economically by the pandemic in the region. It is the biggest recipient of European Union recovery funds with almost $85 billion. 

Sánchez highlighted three aspects of his recovery plan, which includes creating jobs, long-term reforms to up productivity and competitiveness as well as the re-skilling of workers, especially in high demand fields like green energy and digital sectors.

The forum, which discussed ways to build a better future, hopes to hold its annual meeting in person in May in Singapore.