What’s going on here?

The Kenya Aviation Workers’ Union plans to announce a strike on Monday against the leasing of the airport operations to India’s Adani Holdings. This strike threatens to endanger Kenya’s aviation sector and economic stability.

What does this mean?

The possible strike by Kenyan aviation workers highlights the significant tensions surrounding Adani Holdings’ proposed airport lease. The union fears job losses and worsening working conditions, which could severely damage the aviation sector. Kenya’s economic health could also be at risk if flight operations are suspended, which would affect tourism and trade. This unrest comes as global markets are already on edge. Asian stocks posted a slight uptick on Monday on the back of a holiday in Japan and stable oil prices, indicating investors’ willingness interest in economic data from the USA and China.

Why should I care?

For markets: Labor strikes and market movements.

The planned strike in Kenya could unsettle local and regional markets, especially if it leads to prolonged disruptions to air travel. The strike comes against a backdrop of stable oil prices, which rose 3% last week, a rise in the South African rand on upbeat US jobs data and Ghana’s efforts to boost its gold market with a new refinery.

The overall picture: Regional impacts and global trends.

The labour unrest in Kenya comes as part of major developments in Africa, including the inauguration of a president in Rwanda and the new gold refinery in Ghana. The Democratic Republic of Congo is also negotiating with Zambia to reopen a major copper mine. export route that is critical to the global supply chain. These events highlight economic changes and challenges in Africa and impact the global trade and investment landscape.