ILO conducts Capacity Building and Innovative Strategies for Trade Union Renewal for FESTU and other African trade unions

Comrade Ahmed Osman Said, President of FESTU, representing Somali workers and their trade unions, attended this activity, which brought together national office bearers of national trade union centres from Anglophone African countries.

ILO-ACTRAV developed the activity in cooperation with ITUC-Africa to strengthen African workers’ capacity on organizing through innovative strategies for trade union renewal aimed at promoting the interests of working people and society at large within the framework of the Decent Work Country Programs.

FESTU presented during this activity a report on state of trade union movement in Somalia, including the extent of unionisation and their gender disaggregated memberships, the main opportunities and challenges facing Somali trade unions.

During the training African trade union leaders received detained presentations on ILO and International Labour Standards System, freedom of Association: Convention 87, Freedom of Association Procedure, state of the Trade Union Movement in Africa, strategic Organizing – what it is and what makes it successful, the Organizing Cycle and Managing Workplace Problems, trade Union Actions and Strategies for Mainstreaming Gender and Organizing Women Workers into Trade Union, and communication and New Media – Tool for Organizing and Networking for Young Workers in Africa.

“The activity enhanced competencies of trade unions on how to organise and effectively manage independent and democratic trade unions. We formulated common strategy for revitalising trade union movement and for organising all categories of workers including those within the ever-growing informal economy, which constitute 80% of Somalia’s working force” said comrade Ahmed Osman Said, FESTU President.

During his visit in Lome, comrade Ahmed Said held discussions with ITUC-Africa Officials, led by comrade Kwasi Adu-Amankwah, General Secretary of ITUC-Africa who reassured ITUC-Africa’s undivided support & solidarity to FESTU, its leaders and membership.

FESTU President extended appreciations to the ILO Governing Body and Bureau for Workers for its continued support to the federation and its leadership, and thanked ITUC-Africa for warm hospitality.