US embassy cable - 03ROME595

UNCLAS ROME 000595 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPT FOR SA/PAB, DRL/IL AND EUR/WE 
DOL FOR ILAB/BRUMFIELD 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ELAB, ECON, EAID, PGOV, AF, IT, AFGHANISTAN 
SUBJECT: ITALIAN UNION CONFEDERATION EAGER TO HELP PROMOTE 
LABOR STANDARDS IN AFGHANISTAN 
 
REF: KABUL 303 
 
1.  NOT FOR INTERNET DISTRIBUTION. 
 
2.  THIS CABLE CONTAINS AN ACTION REQUEST FOR DRL/IL AND 
SA/PAB; PLEASE SEE PARA 7. 
 
3.  THE COOPERATION AND DEVELOPMENT ARM OF ONE OF ITALY'S 
MAJOR LABOR CONFEDERATIONS (THE ITALIAN CONFEDERATION OF 
LABOR UNIONS, OR CISL) IS SEEKING MODEST FUNDING ($300,000) 
FROM THE ITALIAN MFA TO SUPPORT A CAPACITY-BUILDING PROJECT 
UNDER WHICH THE CONFEDERATION WOULD PARTNER WITH AND HELP 
DEVELOP AN AFGHAN MINISTRY OF LABOR.  OFFICIALS FROM ISCOS, 
THE CISL'S DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION, ORIGINALLY BRIEFED US 
ON THEIR PROPOSAL IN LATE DECEMBER.  WHEN CONTACTED IN EARLY 
FEBRUARY, THEY REITERATED THEY WERE STILL AWAITING A 
DECISION FROM THE MFA; IN THE MEANTIME, THEY WERE 
COORDINATING WITH THE ILO TO DEVELOP A SEPARATE PROPOSAL TO 
HELP DEVELOP A NASCENT TRADE UNION MOVEMENT IN AFGHANISTAN 
AS WELL. 
 
4.  WITH 4.1 MILLION MEMBERS, THE CISL IS ITALY'S SECOND- 
LARGEST UNION CONFEDERATION; IT HAS SUBSTANTIAL EXPERIENCE 
WITH DEVELOPMENT AND COOPERATION PROGRAMS.  IT ALREADY HAS 
UNDERTAKEN SIMILAR CAPACITY-BUILDING PROJECTS WITH NASCENT 
LABOR MINISTRIES IN MOZAMBIQUE, ERITREA AND BOSNIA.  ISCOS 
HAS EXPERIENCE IN THE REGION, HAVING PARTNERED WITH THE 
PAKISTANI LABOR FEDERATION TO DEVELOP TRAINING PROGRAMS FOR 
AFGHAN REFUGEES (REPORTEDLY IN COOPERATION WITH USAID). 
ISCOS ALSO HAS CONSIDERABLE EXPERIENCE WORKING WITH THE 
SOLIDARITY CENTER, THE DEVELOPMENT AND ASSISTANCE ARM OF THE 
AFL-CIO. 
 
5.  UNDER THE PROPOSED PROJECT, ISCOS WOULD INTER ALIA: 
-- HELP THE MINISTRY ORGANIZE ITSELF AND OPERATE, ADVISING 
ON ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE AND TRAINING PERSONNEL; 
-- PROVIDE TRAINING IN LABOR MARKET ANALYSIS AND OTHER 
FUNCTIONAL SPECIALTIES; 
-- ASSIST IN WRITING NECESSARY LEGISLATION AND REGULATIONS 
TO ENSURE AFGHAN LABOR LAW COMPLIES WITH INTERNATIONAL HUMAN 
RIGHTS AND CORE LABOR STANDARDS; 
-- CREATE SELF-SUSTAINING "TRAIN THE TRAINERS" PROGRAMS FOR 
MINISTRY EMPLOYEES. 
 
6.  COMMENT:  WE RECOGNIZE THE AFGHAN GOVERNMENT AND 
INTERNATIONAL DONORS MAY HAVE MORE PRESSING, URGENT NEEDS TO 
MEET BEFORE TURNING TO DEVELOPING A LABOR MINISTRY AND 
ANALYZING LABOR MARKETS -- ESPECIALLY GIVEN FINANCE MINISTER 
GHANI'S RECENT REMARKS ABOUT REDUCING THE NUMBER OF 
MINISTRIES (REFTEL).  HOWEVER, TO THE EXTENT WE ARE TRYING 
TO PROMOTE IMMEDIATE OR GRADUAL ADHERENCE TO CORE LABOR 
STANDARDS, THE ISCOS PROPOSAL MIGHT OFFER A COMPARATIVELY 
LOW-COST WAY TO INCULCATE A SENSE OF RESPECT FOR THOSE 
STANDARDS, AND STRATEGIES FOR PROMOTING THEIR ADHERENCE, 
WITHIN THE APPROPRIATE AFGHAN MINISTRY.  THE PROJECT MAY 
ALSO FIT IN WITH INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY GOALS OF IMPROVING 
DEMOCRATIC GOVERNANCE AND STRENGTHENING THE CENTRAL 
GOVERNMENT IN AFGHANISTAN.  WHILE THE GOI ITSELF HAS ITS 
HANDS FULL WITH MANAGING AFGHAN JUDICIAL REFORM EFFORTS, 
WORKING THROUGH ISCOS ON LABOR MINISTRY  DEVELOPMENT WOULD 
THEORETICALLY NOT DISTRACT FROM THIS FOCUS.  WE HAVE 
REQUESTED ITALIAN FUNDING FOR MANY OTHER DEVELOPMENT 
PROJECTS, HOWEVER, IN AFGHANISTAN AND ELSEWHERE, AND THE GOI 
HAS BEEN STRAIGHTFORWARD THAT ITS RESOURCES ARE STRETCHED. 
IF THE PROJECT IS DEPENDENT ON GOI FUNDING, IT MAY BE A NON- 
STARTER. 
 
7.  ACTION REQUEST:  DEPT. PLEASE ADVISE IF YOU WISH US TO 
ENCOURAGE THE ITALIAN MFA TO PROVIDE FUNDING FOR PROMOTION 
OF CORE LABOR STANDARDS IN AFGHANISTAN, EITHER THROUGH THE 
ISCOS PROPOSAL OR A REVISED VARIANT MORE NARROWLY TARGETED 
AT THIS REQUIREMENT. 
 
8.  MINIMIZE CONSIDERED - KABUL. 
SEMBLER 
 
2003ROME00595 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED