On International Labour Day, May 1st, we celebrate the social, technological and economic progress that have been achieved as a result of the fight for the promotion and respect of the rights of workers. Pursuing the quest of continuous progress in the world of work in Africa calls for a united front built between workers, employers and the governments.

We face various challenges and opportunities. In line with the conclusions of the second session of the Specialized Technical Committee on Social Development, Labour and Employment, and picking form the subsequent commitment by the AU Heads of States and Governments, we can endeavour to make great progress on four priority actions, amongst others, over the coming 5 years.

Today, on the eve of the adoption of the African Continental Free Trade Area and of the Protocol on Free Movement of People, we must look at Tripartism as a powerful instrument for Africa to be a fair player in the Global economy. Our collective responsibility is to build strong Trispartism which work for shared prosperity benefiting to labour, the capital, our nations and societies. This is the founding spirit and principle of the Ouagadougou+10 Declaration and Plan of Action on Employment, Poverty Eradication and Inclusive Development. For our part, the AUC is putting in place an innovative strategic partnership with the social partners’ organizations in support to the implementation of continental employment, social protection, productivity and labour policies.

I trust that for our common vision, we must always refer to 2023 critical targets of the AU Agenda 2063 which can be achieved only if the world of work takes up its share of responsibility:
Reduce 2013 underemployment levels by 50% and unemployment by at least 25%
At least 20% of the informal sector and rural labor have access to social security
-Reduce Youth and Women 2013 unemployment rate by 2% per annum
- Reduce 2013 vulnerable unemployment rate by at least 25%
- 20% of informal sector ventures graduate into Small Formal Enterprise category
- Reduce 2013 levels of poverty by at least 30%.

Secondly, we should make labour market institutions more inclusive by extending social security to workers in the informal economy and rural sector. A large majority of the African labour force is engaged in vulnerable forms of work, dominated by youth and women. Low labor income, low productivity and exposition to diverse economic and social insecurities confine them in working poverty situation. They contribute to 39% of GDP on average at continental level and to 70% of jobs creation.

The way forward, as decided by the Heads of States and Governments, sustaining the ministers of labour and the social partners in their common policy commitment, is the extension of social security to workers in the informal economy and rural sector. We must step up our efforts in implementing the Social Protection Plan for Informal Economy and Rural Workers (SPIREWORK) and the Programme on Upgrading the Informal Economy, in synergy with the relevant ILO Recommendations. The African Union Commission started bringing together the stakeholders around the implementation of the Decent Wok for the Transformation of the Informal Economy (2018-2022). We need an open dialogue with the social security agencies and pension funds to engage them in the lead of the transformation of the informal economy. The Commission will facilitate such a consultation before April 2019.

Third, we should aim for child labour free labour market in the continent. Children will become adult and form the labour force. We are witnessing alarming trend of increasing child labour on the Continent. According to recent ILO estimates, form 52 million in 2012, the incidence of child labour increased to reach 72 million in 2016. Our common responsibility is to change this situation in the short-medium terms. In collaboration with the ILO, a medium term action plan is in preparation for the eradication of child labour, forced labour, human trafficking and modern slavery. It will be submitted to the 3rd ordinary session of the Specialized Technical Committee on Social Development, Labour and Employment, to be held under the theme: “Poverty Eradication through Strategic Investments at National and Regional Levels Towards Social Development, Labour and Employment in Africa”, in Conakry, April 2019.
Fourth, the promotion and protection of the rights of migrant workers call for our action. It can be easily foreseen that the accelerated industrialization, progress in services industries and free movement of goods and persons in the continent, will increase labour mobility and migration in the continent. Within the framework of the AU Migration Policy Framework and the AU-ILO-IOM-ECA Joint Programme on Labour Migration, we will enhance the protection of the rights of migrant workers. The Labour Migration Advisory Committee will play a central role following its inaugural meeting in Dakar, in May 2018.

We are in solidarity with workers in Libya. Through a dedicated Task Force with IOM and EU in particular, the Commission is thriving to manage the situation of African migrants in Libya. We also are all aware of the situation of African migrant workers, in particular female migrant workers, in other regions such as the Middle East. We believe that our efforts should be completed and sustained by the engagement of social partners’ organizations, using their international cooperation and alliance.

My final call is that we also join our efforts to eradicate all forms of corruption in the world of works, taking up our collective responsibility with regards the AU 2018 theme adopted by the Assembly of Heads of States.
I wish to all African workers an inclusive and happy 2018 International Labour Day celebration.