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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.

Pulling out of the Migration Compact is an irresponsible step in the wrong direction

12 December 2018

The Council of Global Unions strongly denounces the ill-conceived decision of a number of UN Member States not to sign the historic agreement on 10 December 2018, the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM).

PSI General Secretary’s speech on the eve of the Intergovernmental Conference on the Global Compact for Migration in Marrakesh

11 December 2018

“Building walls, building fences, is not a solution […] the issue is how we can receive these people with fairness, with justice, with equity,” says PSI General Secretary, Rosa Pavanelli in her opening speech on the eve of the Intergovernmental Conference to Adopt the UN Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration in Marrakesh.

70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

10 December 2018

Today, 10 December, we celebrate International Human Rights Day and the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

PSI video: Building quality public services for all

10 December 2018

#SolidarityWithRefugees  PSI is launching the third video, of a series of three, on building quality public services for Syrian refugees in Lebanon. This third video focuses on the PSI project on refugees and migrants in Lebanon and on the importance of building quality public services for all.

Environmental Health and Universal Healthcare in Nigeria

07 December 2018

The health situation in Nigeria is similar to that in many other countries, where insufficient funding is allocated to environmental health and universal healthcare and people suffer as a consequence. Femi Abolade, an Environmental Health Officer and a member of the Medical and Health Workers’ Union of Nigeria, denounces the situation not only in his country but across all continents.

Collaborating for quality health in Mauritius

07 December 2018

The Government Services Employees Association of Mauritius (GSEA) organised a Health Day on 9 August 2018 at the GSEA headquarters in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Quality of Life. It was an awareness-raising programme, with a huge participation of members of the Association and the public.

For Decent Care Work: Time to Act

07 December 2018

“Care work, both paid and unpaid, is at the heart of humanity and our societies.” From cradle to grave, as children, adults and elders, directly or indirectly, care work ensures our self-development and the reproduction of social life. More than three quarters of care givers are women and girls. And most of these provide unpaid care work in their families. This contributes significantly to the reinforcing of gender inequality.

Report of the SESH Working Group meeting

10 July 2015

The report of the PSI working group meeting on Safe and Effective Staffing for Health (SESH), that met on 11-12 May 2015 at UNISON in London, is now available for download in English, French and Spanish.

What lies beneath? A critical assessment of PPPs and their impact on sustainable development

09 July 2015

This report by Eurodad, the European Network on Debt and Development, looks at the empirical and theoretical evidence available on the nature and impact of PPPs, and analyses the experiences of Tanzania and Peru. It critically assesses whether PPPs deliver on the promises of their proponents and gives concrete recommendations for policymakers.

McJobs - Low wages and low standards around the world

03 July 2015

This report details abusive employment practices in the McDonald’s system that make the iconic golden arches a global symbol of the low-road economy.

WOC 2015 Presentations

25 June 2015

PSI's World Women's Committee (WOC) met on 25-26 May 2015 in Geneva. A varied agenda included violence against women, precarious work, labour migration, peace and freedom, gender equality and gender strategy for the post-2015 development agenda.

ICRICT declaration

11 June 2015

On 2 June 2015, the Independent Commission for the Reform of International Corporate Taxation (ICRICT) launched a global declaration calling for an overhaul of the outdated international corporate tax system and demanding broad, sweeping changes in the current rules and governing institutions.

Speech by Rosa Pavanelli at the ILC 2015

05 June 2015
Rosa Pavanelli speaking at ILC 2015

PSI General Secretary, Rosa Pavanelli, spoke at the 104th International Labour Conference (ILC) on Friday 5 June 2015.

Golden Dodges: How McDonald’s Avoids Paying its Fair Share of Tax

13 May 2015

This new report, released on 19 May, reveals that McDonald’s is using aggressive strategies to avoid paying tax in some of its largest markets.

Logos: AFRECON 2015

27 April 2015
PSI AFRECON 2015 Logo

The AFRECON 2015 logos are available for download in several languages and formats.

Charter: PSI Education Support and Cultural Workers’ Network

22 April 2015

During the founding meeting of the PSI Education Support and Cultural Workers Network (ESCW), that took place on 18-19 November 2014 in Buenos Aires, Argentina, a charter of the network was adopted.

Our public water future: The global experience with remunicipalisation

18 April 2015

Privatisation on the backfoot as new book shows that the growing wave of cities putting water back under public control has now spread to 37 countries impacting 100 million people.

AFRECON 2015: Agenda

15 April 2015

Agenda for the 12th Regional Conference for Africa & Arab countries (AFRECON) and related meetings taking place in Gaborne, Botswana from 22-25 September 2015.

Invitation & Practical information (AFRECON 2015)

15 April 2015

You will find in this circular various details concerning arrangements for the Regional Conference and related meetings.

Working people pay taxes – corporations must pay their share!

14 April 2015
Photo: Creative Commons - 401kcalculator.org

Public service trade unions and the Global Alliance for Tax Justice invite members to join in marching this May Day under the banner “Working people pay taxes – corporations must pay their share!”

Speech by Rosa Pavanelli - ICRICT Meeting

13 April 2015
Rosa Pavanelli, ICRICT meeting. Photo: Joel Sheakoski

PSI welcomes the establishment in New York of a commission of international tax experts to examine reform to corporate taxation from the perspective of the public interest. Rosa Pavanelli, PSI General Secretary gives evidence to the commission

Publication: Why Public-Private Partnerships don’t work

17 March 2015
Why Public Private Partnerships don’t work

The new report Why Public-Private-Partnerships (PPPs) don’t work: The many advantages of the public alternative contains a combination of 30 years of research by David Hall, former Director of Public Services International Research Unit (PSIRU) University of Greenwich, UK.

Rise now! End violence against women

23 November 2012

PSI women speak out to end “violence against women” at the PSI Women’s Caucus, Durban, South Africa on 25 November 2012 International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.

For more information: http://congress.world-psi.org/womens-caucus

PSI’s 29th World Congress in Durban, South Africa, 27-30 November 2012

22 November 2012

As part of its World Congress events, PSI is holding a series of pre-congress meetings on key issues.

Second Forum & Federation symposium on workers' health

22 May 2012

The next FORUM & FEDERATION Lunch-time Symposium on workers’ health will take place on 26 June from 12:00 to 14:00 at the International Labour Office (ILO), Room 3. The focus is the “Right to Work and Right to Health: Workers with Physical and Mental Disabilities”.

6th World Water Forum and Alternative Water Forum

08 March 2012
Alternative water forum logo

Unions from 30 countries will gather in Marseille, France to express loud and clear their concerns about water policies.  The occasion is the triennial World Water Forum –WWF6, a corporate tradeshow which masquerades as a global policy arena.  The water forum was the brainchild of the French multinational corporations Veolia and Suez, in cahoots with the World Bank, created back when privatisation was the only solution for getting water to poor people in developing countries.  Now, the gloss is off the rose, and only the sharp spines are left.

The PSI messages at WWF6 include:

International Women's Day 2012

08 March 2012
PSI Poster for International Women's Day 2012

On International Women’s Day, 8 March 2012, Public Services International recognises and applauds the work of women trade unionists, who are always at the very heart of our struggle for human and labour rights and equality.

United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (UNCSW)

03 March 2012
Picture of african woman washing dishes

Union women from around the world are gathering in New York for the United Nations’ 56th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (UNCSW56), starting on 27th February 2012. Focusing on decent work for rural women, quality public services, social protection and human rights, the trade union delegation to UNCSW56 will call on governments to commit to concrete measures to ensure that women living and working in rural areas enjoy opportunities for economic, social and human development.

International Day for Decent Work 2012

23 November 2011

On 7 October we celebrate the World Day for Decent Work. Public Services International (PSI) joins the international trade union movement in demanding decent work for all and an end to the continuous attacks on trade union rights around the world. We want jobs that provide decent salaries and social security with safe working conditions.

UN Climate Change Conference 2011

31 January 2011

The 17th Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the 7th Session of the Conference of the Parties serving as the Meeting of the Parties (CMP7) to the Kyoto Protocol, will be held in Durban, South Africa.

Bonn2011 Nexus Conference

31 January 2011

The primary objective of the Bonn2011 Nexus Conference is to bring together a broad range of stakeholders from the water, energy and food sectors in an effort to improve understanding of the interdependencies and develop a joint perspective on the common challenges.

Each one teach one

31 January 2011

The “Each One Teach One” WOP conference is an opportunity for those who are interested in beginning a new WOP with partners in the North or partners in the South. It will be an interesting meeting point for policy makers and water operators on capacity development for our ultimate goal: Universal access to drinking water and sanitation in a safe environment.

OECD Global Forum on Environment: Making Water Reform Happen

31 January 2011

Well-managed water systems are a fundamental policy goal for all countries and can be an important driver for green growth.