African trade unions push energy justice ahead of COP31

African trade union leaders and climate negotiators gathered in Nairobi for a three‑day summit to shape a continent‑wide stance on energy sovereignty and green industrialisation before the United Nations COP31 conference. The meeting, hosted by the International Trade Union Confederation’s African Regional Organisation (ITUC‑Africa) and the African Group of Negotiators (AGN), sought to institutionalise cooperation between organised labour and climate diplomats.

Speakers such as ITUC‑Africa General Secretary Akhator Joel Odigie and Deputy President Rose Omamo called for an "energy justice" agenda that treats electricity as a public good, guarantees affordable and reliable access for the 600 million Africans still without power, and links the energy transition to decent jobs and industrial growth. They warned against repeat patterns of raw‑material export and stressed the need for public, democratic control of Africa’s energy systems and a fair share of clean‑energy investment.

The summit also highlighted concerns over the global race for Africa’s critical minerals, urging that resources like lithium and cobalt support local manufacturing and employment rather than external profit. By aligning labour priorities with the continent’s official climate negotiating position, the participants aim to ensure that the upcoming COP31 reflects African workers’ interests and contributes to sustainable industrialisation.