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Africa & Arab countries

Africa and Arab countries form one of the four regions in the PSI structure. Our 153 affiliated organisations in some 43 countries represent a membership of around 1.5 million people here. The regional secretariat is based in Lomé, Togo. Contact our regional offices.

PSI lobbies for the rights of public sector unions and workers in Liberia

26 November 2018

On 26 November, PSI General Secretary Rosa Pavanelli, with the leadership of Kommunal, meet the Chairman of the Health Committee in the Parliament, Hon. Joseph Nyah Somwarbi, at the House of Parliament of Liberia, to lobby for the rights of public sector unions and workers such as the National Health Workers Union of Liberia (NAHWUL) to be recognized formally and legally and to be allowed to unionize in line with ILO Conventions.

Ending workplace violence and harassment in public services

23 November 2018

The recent deaths of two young women health workers in Nigeria, Saifura and Hauwa, are the latest tragic examples of the dangers faced by workers when delivering public services. However, on this 25 November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, we must remember that it is not only in the extreme conditions of conflict zones that workplace violence occurs.

Norwegian Nurses Organization Forced to Call Off Strike

22 November 2018

Nurses from PSI affiliate NSF (Norwegian Nurses Organisation), on strike since 25 October, were forced to resume work after the Association of Norwegian Enterprise announced a lockout - the first ever in Norwegian healthcare - and the Norwegian government had to step into the conflict.

PSI video: Public healthcare for all

22 November 2018

#SolidarityWithRefugees  PSI is launching the first video, of a series of three, on building quality public services for Syrian refugees in Lebanon. This first video focuses on quality public healthcare for all.

Healthcare in South Africa - #NoToXenophobia

22 November 2018

Speaking at a meeting of the National Educational Health and Allied Workers Union (NEHAWU) last week, the South African Health Minister, Mr Aaron Motsoaledi said the country’s health system is overburdened by foreigners. This is a dangerous playing up of the xenophobic card, to deflect attention from the major challenges facing public healthcare delivery: inadequate funding; poor governance, and sharp social inequality which reinforces health inequity.

Young Workers Academy, French-speaking Africa

16 November 2018

A cross section of young workers across PSI affiliated unions in French-speaking Africa converged in Cotonou, Benin, from October 31, 2018 to November 2, 2018, for a workshop aimed primarily to discuss PSI’s political agenda from the young workers’ perspective.

ILO study reveals bankruptcy of pensions privatisation

07 November 2018
Photo: PSI/Shutterstock.com

A new publication by the ILO confirms PSI’s long-held position: the privatisation of public pension systems has delivered vast returns to a tiny financial elite while diminishing the incomes of workers in retirement.

Policy brief EB-148 : Young Workers

04 October 2016

This policy brief on Young Workers was produced for the PSI Executive Board EB-148 held at the ILO in Geneva (Switzerland) on 19-20 May 2016. Its objective is to inform EB-148 of PSI activities on young workers’ issues. The brief is available in English, French, Spanish, German, Swedish and Japanese.

Policy brief EB-148 : Gender Equality, Combating Racism and Xenophobia, and LGBTI Workers

04 October 2016

This policy brief on Gender Equality, Combating Racism and Xenophobia, and LGBTI Workers was produced for the PSI Executive Board EB-148 held at the ILO in Geneva (Switzerland) on 19-20 May 2016. Its objective is to inform EB-148 of activities in gender equality and LGBTI issues since EB-147, that took place in Geneva (Switzerland) in May 2015, and to inform EB-148 of proposed actions for 2016. The brief is available in English, French, Spanish, German, Swedish and Japanese.

Policy brief EB-148 : Trade Union Rights

04 October 2016

This policy brief on Trade Union Rights was produced for the PSI Executive Board EB-148 held at the ILO in Geneva (Switzerland) on 19-20 May 2016. Its objective is for EB-148 to note activities in the area of trade union rights. The brief is available in English, French, Spanish, German, Swedish and Japanese.

Policy brief EB-148 : Educational Support and Cultural Workers Network (ESCW)

04 October 2016

This policy brief on Educational Support and Cultural Workers Network (ESCW) was produced for the PSI Executive Board EB-148 held at the ILO in Geneva (Switzerland) on 19-20 May 2016. Its objective is to inform EB-148 of work in the Educational Support and Cultural Workers Network (ESCW) sector. The brief is available in English, French, Spanish, German, Swedish and Japanese.

Policy brief EB-148 : Health and Social Services

04 October 2016

This policy brief on Health and Social Services was produced for the PSI Executive Board EB-148 held at the ILO in Geneva (Switzerland) on 19-20 May 2016. Its objective is to inform EB-148 of activities in the Health and Social Services sector since the PSI Steering Committee SC-19 that took place in Geneva (Switzerland) in November 2015 and inform EB-148 of activities planned for 2016. The brief is available in English, French, Spanish, German, Swedish and Japanese.

Policy brief EB-148 : Utilities

04 October 2016

This policy brief on utilities was produced for the PSI Executive Board EB-148 held at the ILO in Geneva (Switzerland) on 19-20 May 2016. Its objective is to inform EB-148 of activities in the utilities sector since the PSI Steering Committee SC-19 that took place in Geneva (Switzerland) in November 2015 and inform EB-148 of activities planned for 2016. The brief is available in English, French, Spanish, German, Swedish and Japanese.

Policy brief EB-148 : Local and Regional Government

04 October 2016

This policy brief on Local and Regional Government (LRG) was produced for the PSI Executive Board 148 held at the ILO in Geneva (Switzerland) on 19-20 May 2016. Its objective is to inform EB-148 of activities in the local and regional government sector since EB-147 that took place in Geneva (Switzerland) in May 2015. The brief is available in English, French, Spanish, German, Swedish and Japanese.

PSI/EPSU-ILO Roundtable on Labour Migration and Trade Union Rights

23 November 2015

The PSI/EPSU-ILO Roundtable on Labour Migration and Trade Union Rights is taking place in Yerevan, Armenia on 24-25 November. This meeting will be held in English, Russian and Armenian with the participation of PSI/EPSU affiliates, ILO Moscow ACTRAV and invited guests, experts and PSI staff.

12th Regional Conference for Africa and Arab Countries and related meetings

14 September 2015

The 12th Regional Conference for Africa and Arab Countries (AFRECON) and related meetings will take place, from 22nd to 25th September 2015, at the Gaborone Sun Conference Centre, in Gaborone (Botswana).

Global Labour Tax Summit

28 July 2015
Photo: Tax - Creative Commons - 401Kcalculator.org

PSI is organising a Global Labour Tax Summit in partnership with the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES), to examine tax issues from a labour perspective; with inequality rising rapidly and tax scandals increasingly making front page news, public anger is growing.

Third International Conference on Financing for Development (FFD3)

13 July 2015

As negotiations for the Post 2015 Development Agenda draw to a close at the United Nations, Member States are discussing means of implementation and financing. PSI is taking an active part in this process together with other trade unions and civil society partners.

Mission impossible: Development without Public Services

08 July 2015

In the run up to the Third UN Conference on Financing for Development (FFD) in Addis Ababa, PSI, together with eight civil society organising partners, is holding an event to raise concerns on the effects of public-private partnerships (PPPs) in health, education and water and sanitation and propose alternative policy options that are more compatible with social development.

Young workers' seminar for Africa & Arab countries

19 June 2015

The Africa & Arab countries Young worker's seminar will be held in Gaborone, Botswana on 23 September 2015. This meeting will be held prior to the 12th Regional Conference for Africa & Arab countries (AFRECON).

Women's Seminar for Africa & Arab countries

19 June 2015

The Africa & Arab countries Women's Seminar will be held in Gaborone, Botswana on 22 September 2015. This meeting will be held prior to the 12th Regional Conference for Africa & Arab countries (AFRECON).

Audio: A special RadioLabour report on migrant workers and their families

07 January 2014

There are 232 million migrants in the world. Many are living and working in horrible conditions. A special RadioLabour report on migrant workers and their families. The report features interviews with two international labour movement activists: Chidi King of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) and Genevieve Gencianos of Public Services International (PSI).

Photos: PSI Trade in Services Agreement (TISA) Forum - Bali

06 December 2013
PSI Trade In Services Agreement (TISA) forum - 9th WTO Ministerial Meeting in Bali: 5 Dec 2013
Source: Flickr

PSI presented a special forum at the 9th WTO Ministerial in Bali. This forum aimed to shed light in dark corners: Why is a new services agreement required? Why must it be negotiated in secrecy outside the multilateral process? Why are so many developing countries refusing to participate? What benefit will it provide to the majority in the community?

David Boys of PSI at GWOPA’s global forum

02 December 2013

David Boys, Public Service International’s (PSI) deputy general secretary, talks to Akvo's Mark Charmer and challenges theories that market-based financing is the right approach for financing water utilities around the world at the Global Water Operators’ Partnerships Alliance’s (GWOPA) global forum that took place in Barcelona from 27-29 November 2013.

Strengthening unions in Swaziland

07 November 2013

Swaziland remains one of Africa’s last dictatorships.  Trade unions, including PSI affiliates, are at the forefront of the democratic struggle in the country.  PSI affiliate Vision of Sweden (www.vision.se), in conjunction with LO-TCO Biståndsnämnd (www.lotcobistand.org), supports a project aimed at strengthening unions.  In the interview below, a PSI representative talks about the project and the situation in Swaziland.

Videos - Risks of the Trade in Services Agreement

16 October 2013

View on youtube all the videos from PSI's workshop on the Risks of the Trade in Services Agreement (TISA), held at the WTO forum in Geneva, Switzerland, 2 October 2013.

Photo gallery: PSI at the UN HLD and the PGA

07 October 2013
Monday 30 September 2013
Source: Flickr

PSI at the UN High Level Dialogue on Migration and Development and the Peoples Global Action on Migration, Development and Human Rights, New York (USA), 30 Sept - 4 October 2013.

Videos: BRICS Cycle of Debates

04 September 2013

The CSPB News Special Edition on the BRICS Cycle of Debates