The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU), in partnership with ITUC-Africa is set to host a trade side event ahead of the L20 Summit.
This pivotal workshop, supported by SASK, Finland’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and FES, will address how unions can make the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) beneficial for workers. The event will bring together 50 unionists and experts from across South Africa and Africa including COSATU President, Zingiswa Losi, 1st Deputy President Mike Shingange, National Treasurer Freda Oosthuysen and ITUC-Africa General Secretary Joel Akhator Odigie.
Delegates from sister federations in South Africa – FEDUSA, NACTU and SAFTU along with unionists from Nigeria, Botswana, Ghana, Zimbabwe, Senegal, Kenya, Zambia, and the DRC will be in attendance. This broad representation underscores the collective commitment to advance labour interests on the continent.
Representatives from key regional bodies like the Southern African Trade Union Co-ordination Council (SATUCC), the Organisation of Trade Unions of West Africa (OTUWA), and the East African Trade Union Confederation (EATUC) will also participate.
Key Discussions and Objectives
The one-and-a-half-day programme is structured to facilitate in-depth discussions, share research findings, and formulate strategic actions to ensure that trade and industrial policies in the region genuinely benefit African workers. Key topics to be addressed include:
- Global trade shifts & African realities: An exploration of the implications of current global trade developments for workers in Africa.
- Overview of AfCFTA: Inputs covering the background of the AfCFTA, existing trade patterns in Africa and the Agreement on Trade in Goods.
- Analysing the AfCFTA: A dedicated panel discussion to provide in-depth analysis of the AfCFTA’s potential impacts.
- Presentation of ALREI Research: Key findings from the AfCFTA impact analysis report will be presented to inform discussions.
- Exploring the Toolkit: An interactive session introducing a practical toolkit designed to guide trade union engagement within the AfCFTA framework.
- Making AfCFTA work for labour: A vital panel discussion focused on actionable strategies to ensure the AfCFTA genuinely serves the interests of working people.
- Strategy roundtable: A critical session dedicated to mapping out concrete trade union actions concerning AfCFTA implementation with a focus on work being driven by the regional bodies (SATUCC, OTUWA and EATUC) and engagement with the G20/L20 process.
This event represents COSATU’s unwavering commitment to building unity and championing workers’ rights and interests amidst the evolving global and continental landscape. We anticipate highly productive discussions that will contribute to shaping a progressive and worker-centred agenda for labour across Africa
The event will convene over two days from Saturday, 26 July to Sunday, 27 July 2025 in George, Western Cape.
Issued by COSATU
Zanele Sabela (COSATU National Spokesperson)
Mobile: 079 287 5788 / 077 600 6639
Email: zaneles@cosatu.org.za
