Zimbabwe

Ministry Of Public Service, Labour And Social Welfare
Remarks By
Hon Priscah Mupfumira

At The
Official Opening Of The Second Session Of The African Union Specialized Technical Committee On Social Development, Labour And Employment
26 April 2017
Algiers; Algeria

• Director of Ceremony;
• Your Excellency, Mr Abdelmalek Sellal, Prime Minister of Algeria;
• Your Excellency, Dr. Amira ElFadil, Commissioner for Social Affairs;
• Minister of Labour, Employment and Social Security of Algeria, Hon. Mohamed El-Ghazi;
• Minister of National Solidarity, Family and the Status of Women of Algeria, Hon. Mounia Meslem Siameur;
• Excellencies, Ministers of Employment, Labour and Social Development here present;
• Excellencies Ambassadors, Heads of delegations;
• Representatives of Business Africa and the Organisation of African Trade Union Unity;
• Director of the ILO Regional Office for Africa; Mr. Aeneus Chuma;
• Esteemed representatives of the United Nations family;
• Distinguished delegates;
• Representatives of Civil Society Organisations here present;
• Members of the press;
• Invited guests;
• Ladies and gentlemen;
• Comrades and friends.
Allow me on behalf of the outgoing Bureau to say a few words before I hand over the responsibility to the incoming chair who is our most gracious host, Algeria. As you will recall, the outgoing Bureau was elected in April 2015 and was able to meet at least twice on the margins of the International Labour Conference to deal with issues that were brought to its attention by the Secretariat. On one of these two occasions, the Bureau discussed the issue of Labour Migration.

Director of Ceremony, Excellencies, I have cited the issue relating to the Labour Migration with a view to making a point about how we ought to plan and follow through issues in our sector.

Director of Ceremony, Excellencies, what I have said calls for us to revise the agenda setting mechanisms and ensure that the draft agenda as proposed by the Secretariat is endorsed by the Bureau. I guess this ought to be one of the functions of the Bureau. In this regard, I would want to urge the Secretariat to work closely with the incoming Bureau in developing the agenda of our meetings going forward. It is my considered view that the agenda of our meetings should be driven by the needs of constituencies therefore we need to have a section on the agenda that allows us to deal with matters arising from previous meetings so as to keep track of and receive updates on decisions taken in our Specialised Technical Committee.

Director of Ceremony, Excellencies, I also want to express my sincere gratitude and acknowledge the work of members of the outgoing bureau. Despite the fact that meetings of the Bureau were limited due to a number of constraining factors, Zimbabwe is grateful for the support rendered by members of the bureau and their commitment to pushing the work of the STC forward.

I would also like to take this opportunity to express on behalf of the outgoing bureau and indeed on behalf of all delegates, our utmost appreciation to our dear brothers and sisters in Algeria for a very warm welcome upon our arrival and the excellent facilities that have been accorded to us for the success of our meeting. Indeed, I have no doubt that the Government of Algeria through the Ministry of Labour and Social Security and the Ministry of National Solidarity, Family and the Status of Women will diligently lead the incoming bureau beyond our expectation over the next two years. I therefore offer my congratulations to Algeria for having been elected to lead the Bureau of the Second Session of the AUSTC on social development, labour and employment.

As I close my remarks, allow me Director of Ceremony, Excellencies; to extend a very warm welcome as well as to congratulate Dr. Amira El Fadil on her well deserved appointment as the African Union Commissioner for Social Affairs. It is our hope and expectation that through her able leadership, our STC will be able to achieve the goals we have set for ourselves to attain the Africa that we want.
Finally Director of Ceremony, Excellencies; I wish you all very fruitful deliberations.
I thank you.