Organised Labour in Africa, through the African Regional Organisation of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC‑Africa), has issued a strong warning over what it describes as a renewed threat to the continent’s sovereignty and future following remarks by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the Munich Security Conference in February 2026.
In a statement released to workers across the continent, ITUC‑Africa General Secretary Akhator Joel Odigie condemned Rubio’s speech, which praised Western power and called for a “reinvigorated West” while urging allies to shed what he termed “guilt and shame” over their colonial histories.
“The United States’ call to revive Western influence is not charity,” ITUC‑Africa said, describing the Munich address as “insulting and dangerous.” The organisation argued that empire, past and present, was rooted in extraction and exploitation — leaving Africa fractured and economically vulnerable.
ITUC‑Africa pointed to historical and contemporary examples of interventions where sanctions, coercive diplomacy, and regime change have generated economic and social hardship, citing countries such as Venezuela, Cuba, Palestine and Syria. It warned that these strategies reflect a wider doctrine of imperial influence, exerted through economic pressure, debt, political leverage and geopolitical manoeuvring.
The labour body also highlighted the risk that external threats exploit internal weaknesses, including corruption, inequality, ethnic divisions and poor governance, urging African workers to remain vigilant, organised and united. Their statement called on trade unions to strengthen solidarity, resist division, engage governments in constructive social dialogue, and support policies for decent jobs, industrial growth and economic independence.
“History has shown us that when African workers stand united, Africa stands strong,” ITUC‑Africa said, urging Africans to reject geopolitical gamesmanship and defend the continent’s political, economic and social autonomy.
