The Intercontinental Migration Summit in partnership with the Medgar Evers College of the City University New York and the Journalists International Forum on Migration (JIFORM) – have named H.E. President Dr. Julius Maada Bio of Sierra Leone and H.E. President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera of Malawi as African Presidential Decent Work Champions for 2022-2023 on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York City.
President Dr. Julius Maada Bio has distinguished himself globally as a Human Capital Development Champion – focusing on developing the “real diamonds” of the mineral rich Sierra Leone.
Working closely with his seasoned Minister for Labour and Social Security, Hon. Dr Alpha Timbo and the SOS Transfer2Transform Program under the nation’s Principal Consultant of legal migration, HE Rev. Dr. Princess Ocansey – Dr. Bio’s track record in decent work on the continent is unmatched.
H.E. President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera had successfully hosted the first UN Generation Equality Conference in Lilongwe, Malawi- during which time he pledged decent work for his people, having been recognized as a Gender Equality and Decent Work giant – ensuring Malawian women especially, are not left out of the global digital revolution.
He is delivering on both promises partly through the SOS Migration Programs of Decent Work and USA STEM Masters Degrees.
In the conference audience, was H.E. Rev. Dr. Princess Ocansey, a multiple award-winning 35 year experienced migration expert, member of the African Union Labour Migration Advisory Committee -representing the Diaspora African Forum, CEO of SOS and author of the Amazon bestselling book: ‘Deadly Work or Decent Work?’. H.E. Rev. Dr. Ocansey had been invited to Malawi by the former President of Malawi, H.E. Dr. Joyce Banda – UN Generation Equality Campaign Malawi Chapter Lead and Malawi’s renowned first female President – to institute the award-winning SOS Decent Work program in Malawi. SOS immediately implemented their systems, resulting in 1000 decent jobs for the youth and USA STEM Masters Degree Programs focusing on women.
Dr. Ajibola Abayomi, President of the Journalists International Forum (JIFORM), who is also co-founder of the Intercontinental Migration Summit in partnership with the Medgar Evers College of New York, will be presenting the Presidential awards together with Hon. Gerry Weiner, former Canadian Minister of Immigration – in New York, during the upcoming Intercontinental Migration Summit, November 2-4, 2022.
“This is uniquely refreshing news for the UN International Peace Day 2022,” said Dr. A. Abayomi. “Instead of the usual human trafficking stories negatively affecting our continent due to high youth unemployment, we are pleased to recognise these great leaders for their demonstrated positive commitment to decent work through the award winning SOS programs.
SOS recently supported Sierra Leone in the signing of a Bilateral Labour Agreement between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Republic of Sierra Leone to ensure safe, orderly migration,” said Dr. Abayomi.
President Dr. Bio and his Minister of Labour, Hon. Dr. Alpha Timbo, hosted Nigeria’s Minister for Labour, Hon. Keyamo SAN in Freetown when he visited to see the SOS Migration system in action for potential consideration for future adoption by Nigeria,” said Dr. Abayomi.
“We applaud the Bio-Chakwera Era of Decent Work and congratulate our leaders for trailblazing the way to safe, orderly, legal migration as per the UN Global Compact for Migration.
H.E. Rev. Dr. Princess Ocansey’s book: “Deadly Work or Decent Work?” has a game changing roadmap to decent work for all African Leaders to adopt. As a participant of the High-Level UN Generation Equality Conference hosted in Malawi by H.E. President Chakwera April 2022, I am so pleased to see such rapid results catalysed by the conference. Liberia is looking forward to joining the SOS Decent Work Program soon,” concluded Hon. Chief Dr. Jewel Howard-Taylor – Vice President of Liberia.
