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Africa’s Debt Crises and Workers’ Rights – Joint Strategising on the Role of Trade Unions, Civil Society and Academia for Global Debt Justice
In A NutShell
What: Civil Society Event jointly organised by Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, ITUC Africa and erlassjahr.de
Date: Friday, 31 October 2025, 09:30–11:00 a.m.
Venue: Room 121/122 at the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, Hiroshimastraße 17, 10785 Berlin
Registration: Participation in this exchange is by invitation only. If you are interested in joining, please contact us with a brief introduction about yourself at: p.buenger@erlassjahr.de
Event language: English
Accessibility: The venue is wheelchair accessible (through an elevator) and barrier-free toilets are available.
More information here.
Contributions & Agenda
- Welcome and moderation: Thomas Claes, Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, Africa Department
- Input by Akhator Joel Odigie, General Secretary of the International Trade Union Confederation – Africa (ITUC-Africa): Africa’s Debt Crises and Workers’ Rights – Towards a New Framework of Debt Sustainability in Africa
- Open discussion and room for exchange: How can trade unions, foundations, civil society, and academia in Germany support African trade union’s efforts for global debt justice by building on their respective strengths and making use of synergies? Kick-off comment by Malina Stutz, Policy Advisor, erlassjahr.de
Description
In more than half of African countries, national budgets are heavily burdened by public external debt. This debt burden has a direct impact on everyday life – particularly for wage-dependent workers: governments cut back on wages, public sector jobs and social services due to high interest payments and debt repayments to foreign creditors. In Ghana, for example, interest payments in 2023 consumed nearly half of government revenue, while in Zambia, debt distress led to delayed salary payments for public servants. Interest payments for debt are among the highest for African states, further draining scarce resources.
The current international financial architecture fails to address these challenges effectively and primarily serves the interests of multinational (financial) corporations and countries of the Global North.
The African Regional Organisation of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC Africa) advocates for debt cancellations and fundamental reforms of the international financial and debt architecture, arguing for a Sovereign Debt New Deal (see ITUC-Africa Position Paper on Debt, August 2025). The goal is to move beyond the technically driven, creditor-dominated debates and to place the realization of social, economic, and cultural human rights – including the right to decent work – at the center. In pursuing these goals, African trade unions rely on solidarity and support from Europe.
In the context of a speaker’s tour with erlassjahr.de, Akhator Joel Odigie, General Secretary of ITUC Africa, will come to Berlin. On October 31st, Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, erlassjahr.de and ITUC Africa invite you to a joint strategising event which will take place at the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung in Berlin.
Akhator Joel Odigie will give an overview on the connections of debt crises in Africa and workers’ rights and the work of ITUC Africa on this topic. What has ITUC Africa achieved so far, and what opportunities and challenges do they see? After a short comment by Malina Stutz, erlassjahr.de, on perspectives for the German context, we will discuss together the role of German civil society, trade unions and academia. How can we connect our struggles for debt justice and workers’ rights across different countries? How can movements, organizations and trade unions and academia in the Global North support union struggles on the African continent to achieve debt justice? And how can different actors in Germany work together on these issues, building on their respective strengths and making use of synergies?
Registration
Participation in this exchange with Akhator Joel Odigie as well as other civil society organizations, experts, and trade unionists is by invitation only. If you are interested in joining, please contact us with a brief introduction about yourself via e-mail at: p.buenger@erlassjahr.de.
About the Speaker
Akhator Joel Odigie, Nigerian activist and trade unionist, has many years of trade union experience. He received his Bachelor of Public Administration from Ambrose Alli University in Nigeria and his Master’s of Labour Policy and Globalisation from the Berlin School of Economics and Law. He describes himself as a Pan-Africanist. Since 2023, he has been General Secretary of the African Regional Organization of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC Africa), an organization that currently represents over 18 million workers in 52 African countries.
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