ILO Regional Director for Africa praises resilience of tripartite partners in Burundi
The Regional Director ended her first official visit to Burundi after addressing the 6th Regional Seminar of the Internationale francophone du dialogue social (IFDS).
23 November 2024
BUJUMBURA, BURUNDI (ILO News) - The ILO Regional Director for Africa, Fanfan Rwanyindo, has concluded her first official visit to Burundi by praising the bravery and resilience of its tripartite partners. Her visit, which took place from 18 to 22 November 2024, coincided with the opening of the 6th regional seminar of the Internationale francophone du dialogue social (IFDS), which was held under the theme ‘The role of social dialogue in the dynamics of the Global Coalition for Social Justice in Africa’.
The seminar, held in Bujumbura, brought together stakeholders from 19 French-speaking countries in the region to examine how social dialogue can support the objectives of the Global Coalition for Social Justice, a key initiative of the ILO Director-General.
Speaking at the opening of the event, Rwanyindo said: "It is through permanent dialogue conducted through strong and credible institutional mechanisms that our countries will be able to improve their economic performance, governance practices and social stability."
During her visit, the Regional Director met with the tripartite constituents, all of whom expressed their full commitment to joining the Global Coalition for Social Justice. She also met with various partners, including the United Nations country team, the African Development Bank (AfDB), the European Union representation in Burundi and the Belgian Embassy.
These interactions provided an opportunity to assess the efforts underway to support the decent work agenda in Burundi and to explore the various avenues for collaboration. She also had the opportunity to discuss with the social partners the urgent challenges they face and their priorities for ILO support.
Strengthening tripartism and social dialogue
Rwanyindo praised the resilience of Burundi's tripartite partners in the face of significant challenges. "Burundi's commitment to tripartism is evident in the functioning of its social dialogue structures, such as the CNDS (National Committee for Social Dialogue), which is a vital platform for engagement between government, workers and employers," she noted.
The Regional Director expressed her optimism following her discussions with Venuste Muyabaga, Minister of Public Service, Labour and Employment, who reiterated the commitment of the Government of Burundi to strengthening tripartite mechanisms.
The Burundi Confederation of Trade Unions has expressed its aspirations to improve conditions for workers, despite the many challenges posed by the current socio-economic context. Improving its operational capacity, strengthening advocacy to improve the application of labour standards relating to freedom of association, and modernising the trade union movement in the country to reach out to young people and other under-represented groups are at the heart of its priorities.
The Burundi Employers' Association highlighted the challenges facing businesses, in particular the country's social and economic context, which has a very negative impact on business productivity, the problem of mismatches between training and employment, difficulties in gaining access to skilled workers, and the formalization of the informal economy.
The two partners expressed their satisfaction with the ILO's support and undertook to continue their collaboration and to join the Global Coalition for Social Justice.
Partnership with donors and development institutions
During her meetings with various partners, including the United Nations country team, the European Union delegation in Burundi, the Belgian embassy and the African Development Bank (ADB), the Regional Director had the opportunity to share the ILO's priorities with them and to stress the importance of pooling efforts to advance the decent work agenda in Burundi. She also praised their ongoing support in improving the living conditions of the people of Burundi.
The UN country team expressed its interest in collaborating with the ILO, particularly in the areas of social protection, promoting youth employment and entrepreneurship, and employment data management. The Regional Director underlined the ILO's technical expertise in these areas and proposed to strengthen collaboration to fill data gaps and promote universal social protection systems.
Hope for the future
The Regional Director concluded her visit by praising the efforts of all stakeholders to maintain social dialogue and foster resilience in a complex national context. "The strength of social dialogue in Burundi and the dedication of its tripartite partners provide a basis for hope. With renewed collaboration, the ILO stands ready to support Burundi in achieving decent work for all," she said.
The ILO will work closely with its tripartite constituents to update Burundi's Decent Work Country Programme (DWCP). This will enable the document to be aligned with the country's new policy framework and mobilise more resources to strengthen the ILO's activities and presence in Burundi.
Multi-stakeholder initiative
The Global Coalition for Social Justice