ILO IMPLEMENT advances decent work through trade and labour dialogue in Kenya and Uganda

NAIROBI/KAMPALA (ILO News) – In October, more than 60 representatives from governments, social partners, and civil society in Kenya and Uganda engaged in a series of activities organized by the International Labour Organization (ILO) under the IMPLEMENT project, supported by the Government of Flanders, Belgium, to advance decent work through trade and investment policy.

The programme, facilitated by experts from the ILO Research Department and the ILO Country Office for the United Republic of Tanzania, Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda, included consultations and national tripartite seminars on trade, investment, and decent work. Ahead of the seminars, the ILO conducted in-person and virtual consultations with key stakeholders in both countries. Seminars in Nairobi on 9 October and Kampala on 15 October created platforms for dialogue on aligning trade and investment with decent work.

In her welcoming remarks, Ms Katrien de Pauw, General Representative of the Government of Flanders at the Permanent Mission of Belgium to the United Nations in Geneva, reaffirmed Flanders’ commitment to inclusive and sustainable trade and investment policies that advance decent work.

“Trade policies should be inclusive, reflecting the voices and needs of all, including workers, enterprises and those in the informal economy. By fostering dialogue between trade and labour actors, we can shape policies that promote decent work, enterprise development, and shared prosperity,” Ms de Pauw said.

In Kenya, participants included the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection, the Central Organization of Trade Unions (COTU), the Federation of Kenya Employers and the Kenya Export Promotion and Branding Agency, with the Ministry of Trade, Investments and Industry also in attendance.

“There are so many young people in Kenya working in business processing and outsourcing who continue to face labour rights and trade union rights violations. We are here in this workshop to ensure that this conversation is actualised and that workers in these areas have their rights upheld,” said Bruno Otiato from COTU.

In Uganda, the stakeholders who joined the activities included the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives, the National Organization of Trade Unions, the Central Organisation of Free Trade Unions, the Federation of Uganda Employers, and civil society organizations such as SEATINI Uganda.

“It is people, not machines, who will drive progress in trade and economic growth. Ensuring that they have adequate social protection, decent working environments, and a sense of security is essential for enabling them to contribute positively to employment and development,” said Mr Patrick J. Mugisha, Commissioner at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives of Uganda.

Marva Corley-Coulibaly, ILO IMPLEMENT project manager, highlighted the importance of coherent trade and investment policies in advancing decent work across Africa.

“There is a strong awareness of the trade and labour issues at hand, but the challenge lies in bringing those issues together in a space where dialogue can lead to concrete implementation. It’s about finding ways to connect awareness with action and move policy forward,” Corley-Coulibaly said.

The ILO IMPLEMENT project “Trade and Investment Arrangements: Implementation and Stakeholder Engagement for Promoting Decent Work” is funded by the Government of Flanders, Belgium, and is one component of a broader research programme entitled “Integrating Trade and Decent Work” (INTEGRATE). The project aims to enhance the capacity of stakeholders in African and Asian countries to implement initiatives that support decent work in the context of trade.