Towards the socioeconomic transformation of Africa through job creation – the role of the social partners

The 6th African Social Partners’ Summit took place on 25-26 February 2020 in Lagos, Nigeria. It was a joint undertaking of the International Organisation of Employers (IOE) and the Nigerian Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA), and brought together representatives of employers, workers, governments, international organisations, and youth to share and review work to date to advance job creation policies in Africa. This Summit, the first to be held in English-speaking Africa, continued the work of the African Social Partners to accelerate job creation.

Mr Mokom Marcel Young, tralac Alumnus and Procurement Officer in the Ministry of Public Contracts, Cameroon, delivered a presentation on the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA): What is it and what are the benefits? His presentation is available to download.

Background

Over recent years, economic outlook reports by international organisations and respected think-tanks have underlined that economic growth in Africa has not yet delivered inclusive socio-economic transformation and found that job creation is the most important issue for the future of the African continent.

Understanding that such transformation requires the combined commitment and effort of all social partners and stakeholders, IOE member organisations in Africa invited trade unions, governments, international organisations, financial institutions and think-tanks, inter alia, to work together with employers to advance this transformation through job creation.

This extensive outreach resulted in a series of African Social Partners’ (ASP) Summits which began in Casablanca in 2013. Editions have since taken place again in Casablanca (2015), and also in Tunis (2016), Algeria (2017) and Abidjan (2018) with the support of IOE members locally and our regional partner BUSINESS AFRICA. The ASP Summit series has benefitted from the financial assistance and support of IOE, ILO and the European Union.

These Summits have produced a range of multi-stakeholder guidance documents and materials to orient and facilitate the work of employers’ and workers’ organisations as they engage with governments and others to build skills and create employment. There has always been a special focus on delivering for young people as they prepare for a world of work that is in constant evolution. Each Summit has built on the work of the previous editions and the Blueprint for Jobs in Africa, adopted in Casablanca in 2015, provides an ongoing reference for policy recommendations, actions and implementation.