Renthia Kaimbi
The International Labour Organization on Friday adopted a landmark Convention on Decent Work in the Platform Economy, establishing a global framework to protect digital platform workers while ensuring fair wages, social protection, and respect for fundamental labour rights.
On the same day, Namibia cemented its role as a continental leader by signing the Host Country Agreement for the 15th African Regional Meeting.
The convention, passed at the 114th session of the International Labour Conference in Geneva, Switzerland represents the first binding international treaty specifically addressing the rapidly growing platform economy, including ride-hailing, delivery, and freelance digital work.
In a diplomatic achievement for the continent, Namibia coordinated and negotiated the unified African position on behalf of half of Africa’s nations – a milestone that Namibian officials have hailed as historic for both the country and the region.
The convention provides a coherent framework designed to balance wider access to employment opportunities with robust protections, including provisions for fair competition, innovation-driven growth, and effective social protection coverage for workers often classified outside traditional employment relationships.
Minister of justice and labour relations, Fillemon Wise Immanuel, signed the Host Country Agreement for the 15th African Regional Meeting of the ILO, set to take place in Windhoek from 2 to 4 December 2026.
Convened every four years, the African Regional Meeting brings together the ILO’s tripartite constituents including governments, employers, and workers, along with the political, economic, and social actors of the world of work in Africa, to shape a shared agenda for decent work and social justice across the continent.
This marks only the second time that the ILO African Regional Meeting will be held in the Southern African region, following South Africa’s hosting in 2011.
Addressing the conference immediately following the adoption of the convention, Immanuel welcomed what he called a historic treaty, stating that it is highly relevant to Namibia as the nation advances its Sixth National Development Plan and deepens its national digitalisation agenda.
“This Convention is highly relevant to Namibia as we advance NDP6 and deepen our national digitalisation agenda. It provides a coherent framework to ensure that the rapid expansion of platform work supports decent work, fair competition and inclusive, innovation-driven growth,” said Immanuel.
He noted that Namibia’s constitutional architecture places the country in a strong position to begin giving effect to several provisions even before formal ratification, explicitly citing Article 95(d) of the Namibian Constitution, which requires the state to ensure adherence to international conventions and recommendations of the ILO.
He further explained that existing domestic law, including the constitutional right to privacy under Article 13 and emerging data protection and cybersecurity legislation, already aligns with the convention’s provisions on transparency in automated decision-making, human oversight, and protection of workers’ personal data contained in Articles 12 through 15 of the new treaty.
Namibia will now initiate internal processes to bring the convention before the competent authority for noting in accordance with Article 19 of the ILO Constitution, while undertaking necessary consultations and legal assessments towards full ratification.
“This constitutional obligation reinforces Namibia’s ability and commitment to align national practice with the Convention’s principles while the formal ratification process is underway,” he added.
Immanuel further expressed the Namibian delegation’s gratitude to members of the standard-setting committee who, over the past two years, remained committed to delivering the convention.
