THE African Regional Labour Administration Centre (ARLAC) has called for the strengthening of labour administrative systems to ensure institutions are capacitated to effectively respond to the evolving needs of workers, employers and the economy.
Speaking during the 51st governing council meeting in Lusaka, Zambia, ARLAC chairperson and Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare minister Edgar Moyo said the centre’s mandate was to build strong, fair and sustainable labour administration systems that supported workers, entire communities and economies.
The centre seeks to strengthen labour administration systems in African countries and shape the continental narrative on labour and employment matters.
“This Governing Council meeting is an opportunity for us not only to celebrate the successes we have achieved but also critically engage with the lessons learned along the way.
“I am cognisant of the key roles of the various structures in ARLAC whose dedication, determination and expert input at every stage of the journey has been instrumental to the ongoing re-engineering process of our organisation,” Moyo said.
He said the organisation had been doing significant work in enhancing the capacity of labour administration systems across various sectors through training, research, consultancy and advisory services. He hailed the International Labour Organisation for the ongoing technical and financial support to further the vision of ARLAC.
“Your involvement plays a crucial role in shaping the future of our work and we look forward to continuing this journey with you,” he said. “Together, we will innovate, collaborate and most importantly, continue to empower people through our labour administration systems. There will be challenges ahead, but I do not doubt. That our collective strength and shared vision will help us to navigate them successfully.”
He called on members to remain committed to ensuring that the labour administration systems are not just functional but future-proofed for the evolving needs of the workforce.
“We are truly on the right path, but there is still work to be done. Going forward, it will be essential to solidify, institutionalise and expand the re-engineering process as a key ingredient of the future success of our organisation,” he said.
“We should, therefore, not take this positive momentum as a reason to sit back and relax. Rather, the progress we have made should energise us to persevere until we attain the ARLAC we all want.
“The future of ARLAC is certainly bright. Together, we will continue to drive positive change and make a lasting impact in the lives of workers and communities everywhere. I look forward to embarking on this journey with you.”
