By BRIAN HATYOKA –
THE 42nd Ordinary Session of the African Regional Labour Administration Centre (ARLAC) Governing Council Meeting and High level symposium has opened in Livingstone with a call for African countries to promote decent work in the labour market.
Zambia, through the ministry of Labour and Social Security, is  hosting the gathering at AVANI Victoria Falls Resort under the theme “Decent work in the global supply chains.”
Republican Vice-President Inonge Wina is expected to officially open the gathering tomorrow (Wednesday) and 19 English speaking African countries are expected to be in attendance.
Addressing the media in Livingstone yesterday, Ministry of Labour and Social Security Permanent Secretary Barnaby Mulenga said there was need for African countries to promote decent work in the labour market.
Mr Mulenga said the ongoing conference was important for African countries in that they were expected to strategise on how supply chains in the labour market affected decent work in their respective countries.
“Every Government represented here is interested in the welfare of its people with regards to conditions in which they work.
“There are so many players in the supply chain and you will find that the other part is suffering if you don’t do a critical analysis,” Mr Mulenga said.
He said Zambia was privileged to host the conference which sought to explore the impact of supply chain on the labour market.
“As you know, the labour market comes with three sides to it in the tripartite arrangement involving the employers, employees and the Government and therefore the impact of the three wings will be assessed at this conference,” he said.
He said African countries must come up with a position on what should be done to promote decent work in the labour market.
ALARC director Dan Neburagho said his organisation was committed to promoting decent work in all member countries.
Ministers of Labour from member countries, led by Zambia’s Minister of Labour and Social Security, Fackson Shamenda, are expected to attend the high level symposium.
ARLAC, whose headquarters are in Harare Zimbabwe, was jointly formed by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in 1974 as a project for the development of labour administration issues.
Its mandate is to strengthen labour administration systems in English speaking African member countries through training, research, consultancy and advisory services.