An OATUU delegation composed of the Secretary-General, Mr. Arezki Mezhoud, Vice President, Dr. Anthony Yaw Baah, Assistant Secretary-General, Mr. Emmanuel Nzunda, and Treasurer-General, Mr. Ibrahim Abrar Ibrahim has paid a courtesy call to the Secretary-General of the African Continental Free Trade Area Secretariat, HE. Wamkele Mene on 6th September 2023.
Following a warm welcome by the AfCFTA Secretary-General, the OATUU delegation led by the Secretary-General, Mr. Arezki Mezhoud extended congratulations to HE. Mene on his election and presented a brief history of OATUU. Mr. Mezhoud proceeded to highlight the significance of involving workers and unions in the implementation of the African Free Trade Agreement and expressed the organisation’s unwavering commitment to AfCFTA’s goals.
Recognising the importance of inclusive participation and collaboration, AfCFTA’s Secretary-General emphasised the need to avoid handing over the implementation of the agreement solely to the private sector. Instead, he called for the engagement of civil society organisations, stressing that their involvement was critical in influencing the direction of AfCFTA. This call for collaboration underscores the understanding that diverse perspectives and expertise enrich the implementation process, while promoting transparency and equitable outcomes.
Vice-President of OATUU, Dr. Anthony Baah also seized the opportunity to reiterate the support of African workers for the vision of AfCFTA. He added that unions have an essential role to play in emphasising labour and workers’ rights in the implementation of the African Free Trade Agreement.
