NAIROBI, Kenya – Trade unions across Africa have issued a call for the integration of labor protections into the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) framework, warning that workers’ rights risk being sidelined in the continent’s push for economic growth and trade expansion.
In a joint statement delivered at Nairobi’s Sarova Hotel, the Central Organisation of Trade Unions—Kenya (COTU-K) and the African Regional Organisation of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC-Africa) emphasized the critical role of workers in driving economic production.
The unions insisted that labor rights must be central to AfCFTA’s implementation, ensuring that the benefits of free trade do not come at the expense of decent work standards.
“Economic growth, trade expansion, and industrialisation must go hand in hand with the promotion of decent work,” the statement read.
The unions urged that fair wages, social protection, and respect for workers’ rights should be key components of AfCFTA’s framework, calling on the Kenyan government to champion a labor chapter in upcoming protocol reviews.
The labor groups also demanded that trade unions be included in all negotiations under AfCFTA, as well as in other bilateral trade agreements like the Strategic Trade and Investment Partnership (STIP) with the U.S. and the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).
They highlighted the critical need to protect vulnerable groups such as women, youth, and informal workers in the evolving economic landscape.
COTU-K and ITUC-Africa stressed the importance of skills development, calling for investment in education and vocational training to prepare African workers for emerging technologies like artificial intelligence and big data.
“A competitive workforce is essential for Africa’s industrialization efforts, and it must include opportunities for women and young people,” they added.
The unions also called for the creation of robust social protection systems to shield workers from economic disruptions that could result from AfCFTA’s implementation.
In their push for a fairer economic future, they urged Kenya to fully adopt the New Social Contract for Social Justice in Africa, which seeks to safeguard workers against market volatility.
Additionally, the unions advocated for a just transition to a greener economy, emphasizing that environmental sustainability must be embedded in trade protocols.
They urged that the interests of women and youth be actively integrated into all AfCFTA-related policies and negotiations, framing them as key stakeholders in Africa’s trade future.
“There is no trade without workers,” the statement concluded. “Together, we can build a future where trade promotes equitable development, protects workers, and fosters a sustainable, inclusive, and prosperous Africa for all.”
In a joint statement delivered at Nairobi’s Sarova Hotel, the Central Organisation of Trade Unions—Kenya (COTU-K) and the African Regional Organisation of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC-Africa) emphasized the critical role of workers in driving economic production.
The unions insisted that labor rights must be central to AfCFTA’s implementation, ensuring that the benefits of free trade do not come at the expense of decent work standards.
“Economic growth, trade expansion, and industrialisation must go hand in hand with the promotion of decent work,” the statement read.
The unions urged that fair wages, social protection, and respect for workers’ rights should be key components of AfCFTA’s framework, calling on the Kenyan government to champion a labor chapter in upcoming protocol reviews.
The labor groups also demanded that trade unions be included in all negotiations under AfCFTA, as well as in other bilateral trade agreements like the Strategic Trade and Investment Partnership (STIP) with the U.S. and the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).
They highlighted the critical need to protect vulnerable groups such as women, youth, and informal workers in the evolving economic landscape.
COTU-K and ITUC-Africa stressed the importance of skills development, calling for investment in education and vocational training to prepare African workers for emerging technologies like artificial intelligence and big data.
“A competitive workforce is essential for Africa’s industrialization efforts, and it must include opportunities for women and young people,” they added.
The unions also called for the creation of robust social protection systems to shield workers from economic disruptions that could result from AfCFTA’s implementation.
In their push for a fairer economic future, they urged Kenya to fully adopt the New Social Contract for Social Justice in Africa, which seeks to safeguard workers against market volatility.
Additionally, the unions advocated for a just transition to a greener economy, emphasizing that environmental sustainability must be embedded in trade protocols.
They urged that the interests of women and youth be actively integrated into all AfCFTA-related policies and negotiations, framing them as key stakeholders in Africa’s trade future.
“There is no trade without workers,” the statement concluded. “Together, we can build a future where trade promotes equitable development, protects workers, and fosters a sustainable, inclusive, and prosperous Africa for all.”
