The African Regional Organisation of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC-Africa) has called on the African Union (AU) to create a coordinated process for managing labour migration. This process would help the AU present a unified stance at the Abu Dhabi Dialogue (ADD) on migration issues.
Akhator Odigie, General Secretary of ITUC-Africa, praised the creation of the ‘Doha Dialogue’ on Labour Mobility, a collaborative effort involving the African Union, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) States, Jordan, and Lebanon. Odigie emphasized the need for inclusive and genuine implementation of this initiative, which aims to improve labour migration governance and protect migrant workers.
The ‘Doha Dialogue’ resulted from ITUC-Africa’s six-year campaign for a mechanism to enhance labour migration management. Odigie acknowledged Qatar’s role in facilitating this initiative, noting Qatar’s commitment to improving labour migration governance. He also commended the African Union and its member states for their willingness to enhance protections for migrant workers from Africa.
Odigie further lauded the Gulf Cooperation Council States, Lebanon, and Jordan for their dedication to the dialogue. However, he stressed the importance of clearly defined implementation arrangements and processes, as outlined in the Terms of Reference (ToR), which are currently under final review.
ITUC-Africa urged the African Union to create a labour migration coordination process similar to the Colombo Process, which is used by Asian countries. This platform allows for coordinated engagement and coherent strategies before attending Abu Dhabi Dialogue meetings. Such a process would reduce competition, streamline focus on key issues, and improve outcomes for African migrants.
The labour organization emphasized that effective labour migration governance should prevent the commodification of migrant workers, who fill labour demand gaps in the global market. The Doha Dialogue is seen as a positive step toward improving governance through social dialogue between the two regions.
ITUC-Africa highlighted the need for technical support from development partners like the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to ensure effective and inclusive implementation of the dialogue’s initiatives. The organization committed to ongoing engagement, monitoring, and reporting on the progress of the Doha Dialogue.