KDRTV News – Belgium: Central Organisation of Trade Unions (COTU) Secretary General Francis Atwoli has been unanimously re-elected as the Deputy President of the Commonwealth Trade Union Group (CTUG), marking his second term in the influential international role. The re-election, confirmed by Atwoli on, June 10, 2025, saw representatives from 40 CTUG member countries endorse his continued leadership for the next two years . The CTUG meeting took place in Brussels, Belgium, where the group operates under the umbrella of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC).
Atwoli will serve alongside Toni Moore of Barbados, who was elected as the CTUG President. Together, they are set to champion the rights and welfare of over 70 million workers across more than 40 Commonwealth nations. The CTUG, established in 1979 as the Commonwealth Trade Union Council and renamed in 2004, plays a crucial role in advocating for human and trade union rights, promoting social justice, and enhancing the lives of workers worldwide. Notably, the CTUG holds a special seat at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meetings (CHOGM), allowing it to directly influence global labour policies.
The re-election solidifies Atwoli’s extensive international footprint in the labour movement. Beyond his long-standing tenure as COTU Secretary General since 2001, representing over 2 million Kenyan workers, Atwoli holds several other significant positions. He is the President of the Organisation of African Trade Union Unity (OATUU) and a Vice President of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), having secured his fourth term in November 2022.
Furthermore, Atwoli was recently re-elected for a record fifth time as official member of the International Labour Organisation’s (ILO) Governing Body on June 10, 2024, and also serves as the Vice Chairperson of the International Labour Conference (ILC) worker’s group.
Atwoli’s continued presence in these high-level international bodies underlines his commitment to advancing workers’ rights globally. His re-election to the CTUG comes at a time when the Commonwealth is showing marginal improvements in workers’ rights compared to other regions, as highlighted by the ITUC’s Global Rights Index 2025.
This renewed mandate positions Atwoli to continue his impactful work in fostering stronger, fairer, and more inclusive labour systems across the Commonwealth and beyond.
Read:https://www.kdrtv.co.ke/world/this-man-atwoli-list-of-5-countries-where-cotu-boss-has-offices/
