By Goth Mohamed Goth
MOGADISHU — Somalia’s national trade union federation has called for stronger labour protections and a formal role for workers in implementing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) as the country transitions from ratification to active participation in the continent’s single market.
The appeal came on Monday during talks between AfCFTA Secretary-General Wamkele Mene and leaders of the Federation of Somali Trade Unions (FESTU), led by Secretary-General Omar Faruk Osman. The discussions took place during Mene’s first official visit to Somalia, which ran from August 16 to 18, as the country gears up for the practical execution of the trade agreement. Somalia recently finalized its domestic ratification process and is now preparing measures to enable Somali businesses and products to trade under the AfCFTA framework.
For FESTU, Somalia’s entry into a market of over 1.4 billion people presents opportunities that extend beyond boosting trade volumes. The federation aims to leverage this process to strengthen Somalia’s productive economy, generate decent jobs, and ensure that workers and their unions have a say in trade and investment decisions.
During the meeting, FESTU argued for trade union involvement from the early stages of AfCFTA implementation, rather than being consulted only after major economic and trade policies are set. The federation contended that a free trade market cannot be shaped solely by governments and businesses, as working people are the engine of production, services, and overall economic activity.
FESTU emphasized that decisions on trade liberalisation, investment, and economic integration have profound consequences for employment, wages, working conditions, and labour rights. Echoing positions advocated by the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) and ITUC-Africa, FESTU called for institutionalised social dialogue and permanent trade union representation within the relevant AfCFTA governance structures.
“Workers are at the heart of production, services, and economic development. As Somalia advances its participation in the AfCFTA, we want trade and investment to create decent jobs, protect labour rights, and deliver tangible benefits to working people and their families—with trade unions enjoying permanent and structured engagement with the AfCFTA,” Osman said.
Mene welcomed FESTU’s engagement and the broader involvement of organized labour in the continental integration process. He highlighted the Somali federation’s participation in AfCFTA discussions as a positive example of social dialogue and reaffirmed efforts to deepen engagement with trade unions across Africa.
His visit comes at a pivotal moment for Somalia. The government believes AfCFTA implementation could grant Somali businesses access to the wider continental market while creating opportunities to expand exports, encourage value addition, and attract investment. Somalia is also eyeing its first exports under AfCFTA preferences as implementation progresses.
FESTU contends that this opportunity should encourage a shift in how Somalia perceives its role in African trade. Rather than participating mainly as a consumer and an importer, the federation believes the country should bolster its capacity to produce, process, and export goods to African markets.
Achieving this requires investment in productive sectors, skills development, and decent employment, ensuring that greater market access translates into tangible economic gains at home. This direction aligns with the government’s AfCFTA plans, which include boosting locally manufactured and processed products for export and promoting a “Made in Somalia” identity.
FESTU credited the Minister of Commerce and Industry, Ambassador Gamal Mohamed Hassan, for encouraging an inclusive, social-dialogue-based approach to AfCFTA implementation by engaging government, business, and organized labour.
The national trade union federation views this tripartite engagement as particularly crucial as Somalia begins translating its AfCFTA commitments into national policies and practical measures. FESTU asserts that cooperation among the three parties can help ensure that increased trade and investment support decent employment and uphold workers’ rights.
