Francis Blanchard, former ILO director-general

Geneva, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – Francis Blanchard, a French citizen who was director-general of the ILO (International Labour Office) from 1974 to 1989, died Wednesday 9 December 2009, at the age of 93.

He joined the ILO in 1951, where his first assignment was as deputy chief of the manpower division. He was appointed deputy director-general in 1968 with responsibility for technical cooperation and regional activities.

Two of the ILO’s major new tasks were brought under his supervision, the organization says: providing assistance to developing countries and planning the decentralization of the ILO’s activities. In November 1973, the Governing Body appointed him director-general. Blanchard oversaw the expansion of ILO technical cooperation programmes worldwide. He also played a major role in Poland by giving his full support to the legitimacy of the Solidarnosc independent trade union based on respect for ILO Convention No. 87 on freedom of association.

Francis Blanchard was involved in efforts to improve dialogue between the ILO, the World Bank and the IMF, particularly during the 1980s when the organization was being restructured. He was a leader in seeing that the ILO and many other international agencies became actively involved in strategies to overcome poverty.

He was born in Paris on 21 July 1916. Following his retirement he lived in France.

ILO slideshow, tribute to Francis Blanchard

You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.