MORE than 100 trade unionists from Germany, Nigeria and Australia have arrived in Johannesburg to attend Cosatu's International Solidarity Conference from tomorrow.

The conference, scheduled to end on Friday, will focus on the global economic crisis. It will be attended by Cosatu affiliates, alliance partners, mass democratic movement structures and other social groups.

Cosatu's international relations secretary Bongani Masuku said: "We also seek to strengthen our working relations with our progressive partners north of our border to challenge the hegemony of global capitalism and build the momentum towards a world free from poverty and inequality.

"We shall continue to place a high premium on the areas that include Swaziland, Zimbabwe, Cuba, Palestine, Burma and Western Sahara, where we want to deepen and intensify our work for maximum impact."

On areas of trade, climate change and global workers' rights, Masuku said Cosatu would continue to call for full participation by the international trade union movement in labour issues and the need to find sustainable solutions to socio-economic challenges facing Africa.

Various speakers will address topics ranging from the global economic crisis, Africa's political economy and workers' rights - to the state of the international trade union movement and alternatives to the crisis of global capitalism.

ANC national executive committee member Jessie Duarte will lead the discussion on the rights of workers on the continent.