Juba — An International Trade Union delegation from the International Trade Union Congress-Africa (ITUC-Africa) and another delegation from the Solidarity Center and the East African Trade Union Confederation (EATUC) came to Juba on a three day familiarization tour of South Sudan's Workers Trade Union Federation (SSWTUF) and to acquaint themselves with labor issues in the country.

Kwasi Adu-Amankwah, the Secretary General of ITUC and the head of delegation appealed to the government to provide resources to SSWTUF which will make trade unions more effective in protecting the rights and interests of workers in South Sudan.

On a different note, the Undersecretary for Labor in the Ministry of Labor, Public Service and Human Resource Development, Helen Achiro urged the International Labor Organization (ILO) and International Trade Union Confederations to do more to build the technical capacity of trade unions in South Sudan.

South Sudan being a member of ILO as from the 13th April 2012, she called on the ILO to put up an office here in Juba since this would put it in a better position to provide support in capacity building and other needs in the labor.

According to Achiro, South Sudanese trade unions were working under difficult conditions because the country has just emerged from conflict. However, the government has a strong will to promote trade unions in the country in accordance with section 25 of the transitional constitution which lays emphasis on the freedoms of assembly and association.

In her opinion Achiro believes that once the labor bill and the trade union bills which are now in the process of finalizing are enacted they would help in promoting social dialogue and resolution of labor disputes in the country.

She noted that the enactment of labor bill would also facilitate the establishment of a labor court which will specifically handle industrial disputes in South Sudan.