Secretary-General of the Organisation of African Trade Union Unity (OATUU), Mr. Arezki Mezhoud has highlighted the need for protection of workers and the equitable distribution of Covid-19 vaccines in the world, during his speech at the 109th session of the International Labour Conference.
During a virtual session on the 8th of June, 2021, Mr. Mezhoud appreciated all trade unionists who were committed to safeguarding the interests of all workers despite the challenges presented by Covid-19. According to him, many of these challenges, including the lack of social protection in many regions, fragile health systems in several countries and increasing inequality were all sources of grave concern. In light of this, the Secretary-General hailed the ongoing conference as a great opportunity to tackle the health crisis which has taken a heavy toll on not only the African continent, but the world at large. Mr. Mezhoud also stressed the importance of social dialogue and restorative work guided by mutual respect and consciousness of human rights in confronting this challenge.
The Secretary-General also took the time to condemn the current situation in Sudan, where the transitional government has seized power and dissolved the national trade union center, the Sudanese Workers’ Trade Union Federation (SWTUF). He called for dialogue and negotiation in order to restore the trade union to its legal position and seized the opportunity to express solidarity with Palestinian workers who are currently facing several challenges as a result of the conflict between Israel and Palestine.
