Don’t rush to apply Western democracy standards, ITUC-Africa warns

By Victor Ahiuma-Young

LOMÉ, TOGO – The International Trade Union Confederation Africa has cautioned African labour leaders against hastily adopting Western democratic standards to assess their governments, warning that such frameworks may not reflect the continent’s realities and interests.

The General Secretary of ITUC-Africa, Akhator Joel Odigie, gave the warning at a two-day pre-International Labour Conference meeting in Lomé, ahead of the 114th session of the International Labour Organization conference scheduled for June 1–14 in Geneva.

The meeting is also focused on shaping Africa’s position on emerging labour issues, including the rapidly expanding platform economy.

Odigie argued that democracy, as promoted by Western powers, is increasingly being used as a tool for continued exploitation of Africa. He urged trade unions on the continent to critically assess external narratives and prioritise governance models that address Africa’s unique socio-economic needs.

He called for renewed commitment to Pan-Africanism, encouraging labour unions to build strategic partnerships with their governments rather than viewing such engagement as a compromise of workers’ interests.

“Working with governments is not a betrayal of labour interests,” he said, adding that constructive collaboration can deliver better outcomes for workers.

Odigie further warned against external pressure on African unions to distance themselves from governments implementing progressive policies, stressing that labour movements should acknowledge positive efforts while continuing to advocate improved welfare and protections.

He questioned the credibility of global democratic practices, citing unilateral sanctions, trade tariffs, and military interventions by powerful nations as contradictions of the ideals they promote.

“Our engagement must provide pragmatic alternatives to our governments and mobilise our people to ensure they adopt them. Where governments do adopt pro-people initiatives, we should applaud them and make complementary demands. However, if they refuse, we must mobilise to push back,” he said.

Odigie also called for stronger assertion of African identity on the global stage, stressing that Africans should no longer be treated as commodities outside the continent.

On dispute resolution, he advised unions to prioritise internal mechanisms for resolving conflicts with governments, while noting that unresolved issues could be escalated to continental and international bodies, including ITUC-Africa, the global ITUC, and the ILO.

He clarified that engaging international organisations should not be seen as antagonistic but as a constructive step toward addressing shared challenges.

Highlighting the importance of the rule of law, Odigie noted that institutions like the ILO remain effective in resolving labour disputes where legal frameworks are respected, warning that weak rule of law undermines governance and institutional credibility.

Key issues discussed at the meeting included the report of the ILO Committee of Experts on the Application of Conventions and Recommendations, cases for the 2026 Committee on the Application of Standards, and procedures guiding participation and dispute resolution at the International Labour Conference.

The conference brought together labour leaders from across Africa to deliberate on strategies for strengthening workers’ rights while advancing a unified continental agenda in a rapidly evolving global environment.

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