With the COVID-19 pandemic adversely affecting migrant workers in several ways, which includes losses of jobs and incomes; exposure to infection without or limited personal protection equipment, Trade unions in Africa say they are desirous to develop new strategies on how to ensure rights of migrant workers are protected.

As part of their committed bid to develop these new strategies and improve their engagements on migration governance, trade unions in Africa under the umbrella of the African Trade Union Migration Network (ATUMNET) will in early December converge on Dakar, the Capital of Senegal.

The meeting is part of ATUMNET's continuous bid to build the capacity of trade union organisations in Africa on better engagement skills around labour migration, especially in post Covid-19 pandemic era.

The meeting which has the theme, " Migration in the times of COVID-19: African Trade Unions re-strategizing to be more effective" will allow members of the ATUMNET to gain new information, skills, and knowledge necessary for advancing their engagements.

African trade unions have been at the forefront of mobilizing and speaking for labour migrants whose vulnerable situations have now been made worse due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

According to a statement by ATUMNET Secretariat, the two-day meeting will recalibrate African trade unions' migration governance engagement in more focused and direct ways that will make them real and effective voices and champions for labour migration governance in Africa.

Speaking on why the trade unions are considering rejigging their strategies, comrade Akhator Joel Odigie, Deputy General Secretary of the ITUC-Africa pointed out that COVID-19 has meant trade unions need to engage in sharper and imaginative ways if they are to make tangible and effective contributions to labour migration governance.

He also opined that specialisation in the areas of engagement is helping, adding that, "already, we are seeing a steady increase in the role and efficiency of the African Union made possible in part by the willingness to genuinely embrace the whole-of-stakeholders and whole-of-society approaches. Trade unions want to plan better in how to engage State Actors and Development Institutions.

Further, he hinted that African trade unions will be doing more to build a robust and effective alliance with other Non-State Actors across borders.

According to him, this is why this meeting will be having more Civil Society Organisations(CSOs) participation.

He said, "We shall also be having participants from allies in Asia and migrant workers themselves. Further, COVID-19 affected women differently and more adversely compared to men. This is why our meeting will also focus on how to improve protection for female migrant workers. We shall be seeking this solution by working with the women themselves.

Comrade Akhator Odigie alluded to the strategy to improve working relationships with the UN Migration Network. This is why this meeting will be inviting and utilising the technical support of the organisations that make up this network and those assisting in the implementation of the Joint Labour Migration Provramme (JLMP).