Senegal will host the World Congress on Safety and Health at Work in 2027

The International Social Security Association is proud to announce that the 24th World Congress for Safety and Health at Work will be held in Dakar, Senegal in April 2027.

This landmark event will be the first World Congress ever hosted in Africa, and a significant milestone in global efforts to advance occupational safety and health. It will be held as part of the Week for Safety and Health at Work from 26 to 30 April 2027. "Hosting the World Congress in Africa for the first time reflects the growing commitment on this dynamic continent to developing workplace safety," said Marcelo Abi-Ramia Caetano, the ISSA Secretary General.

The agreement was signed in Geneva, Switzerland on 7 January 2026 by Olivier Boucal, Minister of Civil Service, Labour and Public Service Reform, Senegal, Vera Paquette-Perdigão, Director of the Governance and Tripartism Department at the International Labour Organization (ILO) and ISSA Secretary General Caetano.

Since its inception in 1955, the World Congress has been co-organized by the ISSA and the ILO, and the 24th edition will be hosted by the Senegalese Ministry of Civil Service, Labour and Public Service Reform, and Social Security Fund. Senegal is taking an active approach on occupational safety and health. It already hosted an ISSA Technical Seminar on challenges for occupational safety and health in the context of climate change in December 2024, where it initiated a national Vision Zero strategy.

The 24th World Congress will bring together policymakers, social security institutions, employers, workers, and experts from around the world to address emerging challenges and opportunities in workplace safety and health. Among other topics, the event will cover, climate resilience and heat stress prevention, digital trends like artificial intelligence in occupational safety, strategies for longer, healthier working lives, the Vision Zero strategy, and African priorities in occupational health and safety, reflecting the latest trends and priorities in the field.