Ensuring a Just and Inclusive AfCFTA
While AfCFTA presents an opportunity to enhance intra-African trade and industrialisation, its success depends on policies integrating trade facilitation with strong labour protections, fair wages, economic inclusion, and social justice. Governments must ensure that trade-led
growth creates decent jobs and advances Africa’s sustainable development goals.

ITUC-Africa’s Key Recommendations
• Embed Labour Standards in AfCFTA—Trade agreements must include binding commitments to the International Labour Organization (ILO) Core Labour Standards and institutionalise worker representation in trade policy bodies such as the National Implementation Committees (NIC) of AfCFTA.

• Reform Financial Systems – African governments should advocate for fairer global financial structures, mobilise domestic resources, and support small businesses and workers through inclusive financing.

• Advance Digital Transformation – Investment in digital trade platforms, e-commerce, and digital literacy programs is critical to Africa’s economic competitiveness.

• Strengthen Labour Protections – Special Economic Zones (SEZs) and exportoriented industries must uphold fair wages, safe working conditions, and intense labour inspections.

• Promote Free Movement of People – Ratifying the African Union Free Movement Protocol will ensure global labour mobility and skills recognition.

• Sustain investment and commitment to advancing trade facilitation—a collaborative approach to infrastructure, technology, and skills development remains critical to keeping the continent’s integration and industrialisation aspiration alive.

Call to Action
ITUC-Africa urges the African Union Commission (AUC), AfCFTA Secretariat, ECA, Regional Economic Communities (RECs), and national governments to align AfCFTA implementation with decent work principles. Development partners and the private sector must also commit
to trade policies prioritising workers’ rights and social inclusion. ITUC-Africa and its partners remain committed to working with all stakeholders to build a just, inclusive, and sustainable trade regime that benefits all Africans.

For further information, please contact the ITUC-Africa Secretariat.
Email: info@ituc-africa.org
Website: www.ituc-africa.org

Akhator Joel ODIGIE
General Secretary