Atwoli to head Pan African trade union movement

The Central Organisation of Trade Unions boss Francis Atwoli.

What you need to know:

  • The 54 African member states of the African Union unanimously elected Mr Atwoli during the Oatuu General Council meeting in Algiers on Monday.

The Central Organisation of Trade Unions boss Francis Atwoli has been elected as head of a Pan African trade union movement.

Mr Atwoli will now serve as the President of the Organisation of African Trade Union Unity (Oatuu) which has its headquarters in Accra, Ghana.

The 54 African member states of the African Union unanimously elected Mr Atwoli during the Oatuu General Council meeting in Algiers on Monday.

Algerian Prime Minister Abdelmalek Sella and over 1000 delegates attended the meeting that saw Mr Atwoli’s name proposed by Ghana and seconded by Algeria.

LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE

The delegates rallied in support of Mr Atwoli citing his experience in trade union leadership.

Mr Atwoli, who has been serving as Vice President of Oatuu as well as the International Trade Union Confederation now takes over from Prof Ibrahim Ghandour.

Prof Ghandour has been appointed senior advisor to Sudan President Omar Al Bashir.

Kenya is a founder member of Oatuu and provided the union's first Secretary General Dennis Akumu.