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Zimbabwe was yesterday elected to chair the African Union Bureau specialised technical committee on social development, labour and employment in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Prior to its election as chair of the Bureau, Zimbabwe was the vice-chair in the past two years. Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, Senator Priscah Mupfumira, who took over the new post, expressed gratitude at the confidence shown on Zimbabwe to be the chair of the incoming Bureau.
“Indeed, Zimbabwe is pleased to accept the honour to chair this august body and from the onset, allow me to assure you of our determination to work for the greater good of the African people,” said Minister Mupfumira.
She noted in her acceptance speech that Africa lagged behind in asserting its rightful place in the international community.
This, she said, was attributed to the inequalities between Africa and the developed world, which manifest in all international fora, particularly those dealing with social development, labour and employment.
“I wish to encourage the participation of Africa in the global arena to ensure that our voice is heard,” she said. “In so doing, I wish to emphasise the need for us to realise that we are the masters of our own destiny, hence the need to pursue value addition in all our programmes, which would ultimately benefit our people.”
Minister Mupfumira said Africa was endowed with vast natural resources, emphasising that it was only through member-states’ combined efforts that the continent could realise the full potential that it has. She said the bureau would spare no effort in moving the work of the specialised technical committee forward.
During the two years as vice-chair, Zimbabwe had the opportunity to chair some of the important meetings of the predecessor African Union Labour and Social Affairs Commission. “My Government is also highly appreciative of the expertise and high level of co-operation availed to it by the AU Secretariat in implementing our collective decisions since 2013,” said Minister Mupfumira.
She noted that the last two years were challenging for the bureau in view of scourges of unemployment, war and disease that have continued to undermine the full realisation of the bureau’s goals. “In this context, the cost of these ills should be mitigated through our various policies, programmes and activities,” she said.
Minister Mupfumira said it was Africa’s responsibility to ensure that its people do not fall into poverty. Zimbabwe also assumed the co-ordinatorship role of the African Group of the International Labour Organisation in June 2014.
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