By Michael Oche
The African Regional Organisation of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC-Africa) has raised concerns over the exclusion of trade unions in the negotiation of bilateral labour migration agreements, warning that such arrangements risk undermining workers’ rights and protections.
The workers body also called for a shift in approach to curb growing wave of desperate migration, urging African governments to prioritise job creation, social protection, tackle inequality and end austerity that punishes workers.
In a statement signed by its General Secretary Akhator Joel Odigie at the ongoing International Migration Review Forum 2026 in New York, the regional labour body said many labour migration agreements are increasingly being used by governments as tools to manage youth unemployment, often without adequate safeguards for decent work.
ITUC-Africa noted that while bilateral agreements can offer opportunities for employment and mobility, their current design in many cases prioritises labour export over the protection and welfare of workers.
“Workers are not commodities,” the organisation stated, stressing that migration policies must be anchored in rights, standards, and social dialogue.
Odigie expressed concern that trade unions, a key stakeholder in labour governance, are frequently sidelined during negotiations, leading to agreements that fail to reflect the realities and needs of migrant workers.
According to ITUC-Africa, the absence of meaningful union participation weakens accountability mechanisms and limits the inclusion of critical provisions such as fair wages, safe working conditions, and access to justice for migrant workers.
It further warned that treating migration as an economic “escape valve” for unemployment risks exposing workers, particularly young people, to exploitation and abuse in destination countries.
The organisation called on African governments to adopt a more inclusive approach by ensuring that trade unions are actively involved in the design, implementation, and monitoring of labour migration agreements.
The General Secretary also urged African governments to prioritise job creation and strengthen social protection systems as a sustainable response to the growing wave of desperate migration across the continent.
The workers body identified rising inequality, austerity-driven cuts to public services, and weak labour markets as key drivers pushing young people into precarious conditions and, ultimately, irregular migration.
“Our African governments are implementing austerity measures that continue to place the burden of adjustment on workers. Cuts to public services, wage suppression, and reduced social spending are pushing young people into precarity. These conditions drive irregular migration and deepen vulnerability. Africa is not only losing wealth but also its future workforce,” the statement noted.
It added that “Migration today reflects the fractures of our global system—fractures defined by injustice, economic imbalance, and a failure to deliver dignity and decent work for all.”
ITUC-Africa also raised concerns over illicit financial flows and unsustainable debt burdens, which it said continue to drain resources that could otherwise be invested in job creation and economic resilience.
According to the organisation, policies that prioritise labour export without adequate safeguards for workers’ rights risk worsening exploitation and undermining the benefits of migration.
It called for labour migration frameworks anchored on decent work standards, social dialogue, and the protection of migrant workers.
While highlighting the challenges, the union body pointed to positive examples such as regularisation programmes in countries like Spain, which it said demonstrate that humane and practical migration policies can benefit both workers and economies.
It further emphasised the need for skills development, fair mobility pathways, and the portability of workers’ rights across borders, noting that Africa’s youthful population remains a major asset if properly harnessed.
While acknowledging the role of migration in supporting livelihoods and economic growth, the organisation maintained that it must not come at the expense of workers’ dignity and rights.
It urged policymakers to shift from labour export-driven strategies to rights-based frameworks that prioritise decent work, social protection, and shared responsibility between countries of origin and destination.
It said, “Migration is not the problem. Inequality is. Injustice is. Failed governance is. ITUC-Africa calls for a shift in approach: end austerity that punishes workers, halt illicit financial flows, pursue progressive taxation, cancel unsustainable debt, and invest in social protection and decent work.”
