Proposal for Establishing a Sectoral Council for Labour, Employment, and Migration

Posted in Labour

In an effort to facilitate informed decision-making and policy guidance, the 2^nd Meeting of the Forum of Ministers responsible for Labour and Employment, which convened on 12^th October, 2007, recognized the need for a dedicated body to oversee labor and employment matters within the East African Community (EAC). To address this, they proposed the establishment of a Sectoral Council responsible for labour and employment matters.

Subsequently, during the 15^th Meeting of the Council of Ministers held on 17^th - 18^th March, 2008, the Secretary General was directed to refer the recommendation for establishing the Sectoral Council responsible for labour and employment to the Sectoral Council on Legal and Judicial Affairs for consideration (EAC/CM15/Directive 04). This marked a significant step towards realizing the establishment of a dedicated body to address labour and employment concerns within the EAC. The importance of this Sectoral Council cannot be overstated, given the sensitivity and critical nature of labor-related issues, as enshrined in the EAC Common Market protocol.

The momentum towards establishing the Sectoral Council persisted, with the 5^th Forum of Ministers, convened on 29^th October, 2021, reaffirming the need for its establishment and making an appeal to the Council of Ministers to expedite the process. The matter is slated for reconsideration during the 45^th Meeting of the Council of Ministers, scheduled for early 2024.

One of the primary justifications for the establishment of this Sectoral Council is the observation that despite the significance of labour cooperation within the EAC, the areas of cooperation in this realm have not been adequately addressed. Given labour's pivotal role in the productivity value chain, it becomes imperative to establish a Sectoral Council dedicated to addressing labour matters comprehensively.