COSYBU President dedicates mandate to the formalisation of informal workers

Burundi is a country facing many problems. Poverty hits three quarters of the population, ninety-four per cent of all employments are vulnerable, and ninety per cent of the jobs of the non-agricultural employment are in the informal economy. For COSYBU it is very clear that tackling informality is instrumental in contributing to the sustainable development of the country.

By Guy Mpembele Kisoka

It was under the theme "Promoting Decent Work for the Informal Economy" that Célestin Nsavyimana was elected president of COSYBU during the third ordinary congress of the Confederation of Trade Unions of Burundi (COSYBU) on 18 October 2019.

For Nsavyimana, the formalisation of informal workers, relying on the contribution of social dialogue in the informal economy, remains one of the great challenges to be met during his mandate.

For COSYBU, it is clear that participation is a pillar of sustainability that is very necessary for the development of Burundi and for improving the working conditions of its affiliates in the informal economy, in accordance with the 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals. In particular, Goal 8 on decent work and sustainable economic growth.

COSYBU is the most representative trade union organisation for workers in Burundi. It rallies 36 professional unions and five union federations, representing 170,000 workers across the country, 70 per cent of whom are active in the informal economy.

Photo: National Federation of Transportation, Social and Informality Workers (FNTT-SI/COSYBU) via CGSLB