Yesterday at the Summit, a session on Decent Work held. The session seemed to bring workers concerns around trade and investment and how the gains and opportunities from growth can spread prosperity amongst the people. At the end of the session, it was clear that African workers will like to see industrialisation and the structural change in the continents economy. Concerns around business and elite capture of growth opportunities and democracy were expressed. These captures have disadvantaged workers, women and young persons, including migrants and physically challenged persons- the 1% keeps growing, whilst the 99% remain mere GDP, GNP statistics. The result is the economic and political precarity existing on the continent. The points about responsible investment was raised against the backdrop of illicit financial flows and the erosion of revenues for African governments to fight poverty and inequality. It was nice to hear H.E. Erastus Mwenche (Deputy Chair, AU) talk passionately about the Mbeki panel report on illicit financial flows and how the AU hopes to move forward with that in its quest to tackle the problem. Infrastructure and human development challenges were also expressed. Reckless and pressured privatisation and unbridled liberalization were repeated as wrong steps to be stopped. Privatisation exacerbates dispossession. Of course, Swaziland continues to be a high profile case here at the US-Africa summit as it is the recent country to be chalked off the list of beneficiaries of AGOA. African leaders here talk about the primacy of democracy, human rights and the rule of law, but as usual, they are shy to talk about Swaziland yet they talk about peer review and mutual accountability (H.E. Sindiso Ngwenya- COMESA Sec. Gen). Fortunately, African trade unions and CSO delegations together with their International colleagues and allies are not letting on the Swaziland campaign to respect citizens democratic, human and trade union rights. I can confirm that the Swazi lobby is not making any in-road here at the Summit. Peace and security issues are also attracting attention as would be expected. Biko Haram and Al-Shebab as reference points. Participants are still concerned about the Fate of the kidnapped Chibok girls in North-Eastern Nigeria. Pictures show members of the panel on the Decent work. Ituc-Africa Csi-Afrique Gen. Sec. Kwasi Adu-Amankwah along with other panelists. Participants at the DW session. The last one is the session organised by Congresswoman Karen Bass 5August, 2014.
Posted on: Tue, 05 Aug 2014 16:01:15 +0000
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