Sierra Leone Joins African Push for Stronger Migrant Worker Protection

Sierra Leone has called for stronger protection of migrant workers as African countries work towards a common position on labour migration ahead of the 2026 Doha Dialogue on Labour Migration.

The call was made during a two-day Tripartite Labour Migration Meeting held in Nairobi, Kenya, from September 22 to 23, bringing together representatives of governments, employers and workers from selected African countries.

Sierra Leone was represented by Commissioner of Labour Sinneh Bockarie, Executive Secretary of the Sierra Leone Employers Federation Albert Ojo Collier, and Deputy Secretary-General of the Sierra Leone Labour Congress Edward Y. Kamara.

Convened by the African Union Commission with support from the International Labour Organization, the meeting focused on strengthening coordination among African countries on labour migration and developing a common tripartite position.

Discussions covered fair recruitment, employment contracts, wage protection, decent work, access to justice, skills mobility, social protection and the rights of migrant workers.

Bockarie chaired the focus group on Fair Recruitment, Employment Contracts and Wage Protection, where he stressed the need to keep migrant workers’ rights and decent work at the centre of labour migration policies and engagements with destination countries.

Collier chaired the Access to Justice focus group, while Kamara participated in the discussions on behalf of the Sierra Leone Labour Congress.

The Nairobi meeting is expected to contribute to a Common African Tripartite Statement and recommendations for the upcoming Doha Dialogue, scheduled for October 5–6, 2026, in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

The Doha Dialogue will focus on advancing fair and sustainable labour mobility between Africa and GCC+ countries, including skills and labour-market pathways, decent work and worker protection, as well as social protection, health coverage and portability of benefits.

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