Today, the world is facing one of the biggest challenge ever seen in our time, we are talking about the food crisis. This crisis has pushed million of people especially in Africa into poverty. Basic food price has risen sharply.

The International Union of Food (IUF), in conjunction with Fagligt Fælles Forbund (3F), carried out a research survey in Zambia, Tanzania, Mozambique, Malawi and Lesotho. The aim of the survey was to research the impact of privatisation and economic liberalisation on industrial relations in multinational companies in the beverage and tobacco sectors.

Many of the development policies in the region do not address the labour component in terms of skill development in response to the need to achieve quantitative and qualitative productivity.

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Regional challenges

The transition to multi-party democracy within the region was meant to promote freedom of association and defence of fundamental rights of the people to promote good governance. However, pluralism has instead institutionalised corruption and systematic oppression of the rights of the people including basic rights like the freedom of speech and right to decent work. In many African countries the legal framework indicates freedom of association but the practical aspects reveal that there is neither freedom of association nor freedom of speech. This has been manifested through threats to de-register strong trade unions by governments or creating pro-government or company trade unions. In addition, some governments are misusing freedom of association to encourage a multiplicity of trade unions so weakening trade union unity.

Extensive cultivation of the oil palm and the extraction for export of the oils it yields has always been linked to repression. Plantation cultivation was originally established by colonial regimes. Rapid plantation growth in Asia following the Second World War was encouraged in connection with forest clearing used as a weapon in combating Malaysian insurgents.

Plucking the Green Gold of Tooro

The new ILO report “The end of child labour: Within reach” paints a mixed picture of child labour worldwide. While the global total of child labourers is on the decline, there remain some 50 million working children in sub-Saharan Africa. But the unprecedented international movement to end child labour is opening a window of opportunity for Africa’s fight against the practice. ILO Online reports from a tea plantation in Uganda.

The millions of French workers and youth who took to the streets in growing numbers over recent months captured the sympathy and imagination of working people around the world for good reason. Their tenacious mobilization against legislation which would have made it possible for employers to fire newly hired workers without formal justification was correctly seen as a stand against the rampant insecurity which has invaded workplaces over the past two decades.

The regional office of IUF AFRICA was inaugurated by the General Secretary brother Ron Oswald on the 17/11/05. He was accompanied by the Regional President brother Mohammed Helal El Sharkawi and the Regional Committee members.