Project budget: Funding for phase 2 of the project is - £17,400
(The total 3-4 year project cost is £91,500)
The project aims to increase the capacity and efficacy of unions in the East African Community countries (EAC) – Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda - to influence negotiations on trade deals involving the UK, EU and US so that they promote decent work, gender equality, access to social protection, and support meeting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
It is being run by the East African Trade Union Confederation (EATUC)
Currently East African Community countries receive tariff free access to UK and EU markets due to their middle and lower income status. However, the Economic Partnership Agreements currently being pursued by UK and EU governments would require African countries to lower tariffs on UK and EU goods as a condition for retaining tariff-free access to UK and EU markets.
Unions in East Africa have raised concerns that this could lead to dumping of UK and EU goods on their markets which would put jobs at risk and mean that women workers particularly faced the threat of losing decent employment in the formal sector and being forced to work in the informal sector where exploitative conditions are common. Furthermore, individual trade agreements with East African Community countries threatens to undermine the customs union that exists between them.
The UK government negotiated its first Economic Partnership Agreement with an East African Community country in October 2020 when it signed the UK-Kenya Economic Partnership Agreement. The UK government is currently seeking to negotiate similar deals with the other East African Community countries.
The EU agreed an Economic Partnership Agreements with Kenya in February 2022 and is seeking to negotiate similar agreements with the other East African Community countries.
The US is also currently pursuing an agreement with Kenya that will require it to lower tariffs on US goods.
Meanwhile East African Community countries are also involved in negotiations over the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) which aims to bring down barriers to trade between African countries and regional customs blocs. Trade unions have concerns that the AfCFTA may reduce social protections in the process of reducing ‘non-tariff’ barriers to trade and the agreement has no provisions to enforce fundamental labour rights.
In order to address trade union concerns about the ongoing Economic Partnership Agreements and the AfCFTA, it is crucial trade unions are involved in negotiations. To date there has been very limited engagement between the governments of East African Community countries and trade unions on trade negotiations.
Phase 1 project activities include:
Working with experts to develop a training manual. The baseline information provided by EATUC’s national affiliates between January and March 2020 will provide the basis for the development of the training materials and training content. EATUC and its affiliates are identifying a total of 70 trade union participants who will take part in training and train the trainer’ workshops. Participants will be identified through EATUC’s affiliates’ Women and Youth committees, to ensure inclusion. EATUC will work with its affiliates to develop an advocacy strategy.Project progress (August 2021)
Implementation of project activities has been impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic, but the project coordinator based at EATUC has made progress on delivering some project activities.
Outcomes in phase 1 include:
Phase 2 project activities include:
EATUC implementing the regional-level, two-year advocacy strategy, which was developed in phase 1, and supporting affiliates with developing and implementing their own national advocacy plans.
Delivering ‘train the trainer’ sessions, in follow up to the training in phase 1.
Developing trade policy position papers and making submissions.
Continuing to strengthen relationships with like minded civil society organisations and undertake joint advocacy, campaigning and media work.
Sharing information between the EATUC and TUC/affiliates on trade talks and trade policy is ongoing
Project progress (March 2022)
Despite the challenges of coronavirus, the project coordinator based at the EATUC, has made progress on implementing the project activities.
Outcomes in phase 2 include:
Want to hear about our latest news and blogs?
Sign up now to get it straight to your inbox
To access the admin area, you will need to setup two-factor authentication (TFA).