ILO Assistant Director-General and Regional Director for Africa, Ms. Fanfan Rwanyindo Kayirangwa visits Zambia

During her visit, Ms. Kayirangwa held high-level meetings with the United Nations Country Team (UNCT), ILO staff under Country Office Lusaka, as well as tripartite partners among them; Minister of Labour and Social Security, Honourable Brenda Tambatamba, MP, the Zambia Federation of Employers (ZFE) and the Zambia Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU).

As part of her appreciation of ILO support in the labour sector, the Regional Director undertake a site visit to Varum Beverages Zambia Limited, which is an ILO Social Protection Project disability inclusion intervention area.

Speaking when she met the UNCT led by Resident Co-ordinator Ms. Beatrice Mutali at the breakfast meeting held on 15 July 2024 at Lusaka’s Taj Pamodzi Hotel, Ms. Kayirangwa expressed satisfaction in the manner the United Nations system in Zambia was partnering with the government and other stakeholders in advancing the country’s development prospects as contained in the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (2023-2027).

“I wish to congratulate the UN Agencies that has already joined the Global Coalition for Social Justice. I also want to extend an invitation to other UN Agencies to join the Coalition,” she said.

In response to Ms. Mutali indicated that UN in Zambia has 24 Agencies implementing the UNSDCF 2023-2027, which is aligned with the Eighth National Development Plan (8NDP) using the four Pillars- People, Prosperity, Planet and Peace, stating that ILO was participating in all the groups and co-chairing the Prosperity Pillar.

Later, she held a meeting with the ZFE leadership at their offices led by board chairperson, Ms. Myra Ngoma-Sakala, Vice-President Midlands, Mr. Kennedy Njamba and Executive Director, Mr. Harrington Chibanda.

During the meeting, Ms. Kayirangwa expressed gratitude in the manner ZFE was sensitising its members regarding the revised minimum wages, promotion of employment among Persons with Disabilities (PwD) and the development of ZFE Strategic Plan 2024-2028.

She also acknowledged the role of private sector as being critical to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by creating employment, building skills, spurring innovation, providing essential infrastructure, and supplying affordable goods and services.

In response, Ms. Sakala said her organisation was actively engaged in social dialogue with the government and other stakeholders through the Private Public Partnership Dialogue Forum (PPDF), a unit set up to facilitate dialogue between public and private sectors.

“The effect of COVID-19 pandemic is still being felt among the private sector as some members have not recovered and enterprises closing. We have engaged the government to facilitate a conducive environment for sustainability of enterprises. We are undertaking research to evidence-based advocacy and lobbying efforts. So far, we have signed an MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) with University of Lusaka for this undertaking,” she said.

Briefing the ILO staff, Ms. Kayirangwa emphasised the importance of upholding professional ethics, accountability, integrity, team spirit, efficiency and communication in the implementation of ILO interventions.

“As we are promoting social justice, we should be guided by the view that everyone deserves equal economic, political and social rights and opportunities particularly those with the greatest need,” she said. “We need to look at the interests of the people we serve in communities. We need to be accountable to our donors and serve with utmost integrity and honesty.”

Later, Ms. Kayirangwa held a meeting with ZCTU leadership led by President Mr. Blake Mulala and congratulated the workers’ organisation for joining the Global Coalition for Social Justice.

She commended ZCTU for embracing social dialogue in resolving issues affecting workers in the country.

“Let me commend ZCTU on the development of the gender policy as it will benefit the workers. We also want to commend you for mounting a sustained advocacy for Zambia to ratify C190, which has since been passed by Parliament, and the active role of ZCTU in the UN reform process,” Ms. Kayirangwa said.

On the final day of her visit, she paid a courtesy call on Mrs. Tambatamba at her office in Lusaka and commended the government on review and formulation process for the development of the National Employment and Labour Market Policy (NELMP).

In response, Mrs. Tambatamba expressed gratitude for the partnership with ILO in the implementation of the 8NDP, Vision 2030 and Africa Union Agenda 2063.

“We would like to thank ILO for providing technical and financial support in many areas of work including the following recent key interventions: awareness raising on Convention 190; strengthening of the Labour Market Information System (LMIS) desk at the Ministry of Labour; formulation and launching of the National Labour Migration strategy 2024-28; as well as formulation and launching of the National Strategy on the Extension of Social Security to the informal sector,” she said.

The tour of duty was wrapped-up with the visit of Varum Beverages Zambia Limited in Lusaka that has employed Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) through an initiative with ZFE.

Speaking after the tour of the facility, Ms. Kayirangwa expressed delight that Varun Beverages has employed Persons with Disabilities in quality assurance department, stating that there was need for enterprises to promote inclusiveness in the communities.

“A valuable and precious commitment towards inclusion of Persons with Disabilities. I would like to implore Varun Beverages to continue with inclusion and non-discrimination even after the project with ZFE and ILO has ended,” she said.

Ms. Kayirangwa commended Varun Beverages for investing USD7million in a new plant for maize snacks because it would create jobs in the agriculture value chain– farmers, aggregators, transporters, and loaders, which would result in increased incomes at household level.

Meanwhile, ILO Country Office Director for Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique Mr. Wellington Chibebe said it was gratifying to see the private sector, particularly Varun Beverages contributing to disability inclusion.

“We are happy to see the private sector and Varum Beverages contribute to disability inclusion in the open-labour market by employing Persons with Disabilities in critical departments such as the quality assurance. We want other enterprises to replicate this wonderful piece of work,” said Mr. Chibebe after a tour of a manufacturing plant.

In response, Varun Beverages Zambia Limited Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Vibhay Chauhan emphasised that his firm was proud to promote inclusivity and equal opportunities for all, especially Persons with Disabilities.

“The company has been in existence in Zambia since 2011 making carbonated soft drinks and dairy products (yoghurt and milk). The company employs over 600 employees (23% female workforce) with partners that include local communities, universities and Government Ministries, including the Zambia Agency for Persons with Disability,” said Mr. Chauhan.

Meanwhile, Ms. Sakala commended Varun Beverages for favourably responding to the call for placement of interns and promoting inclusivity in the workplace, stating that the intervention was supplementing government efforts in fostering inclusivity at the workplace.

She further said that the promotion of employability of Persons with Disabilities was in line with the ILO Convention No. 159 (1983) which Zambia has Ratified.