ECA Press Release No. 06/2005

A workshop on the impact of international trade talks on southern Africa, convened by the Economic Commission for Africa, has discussed ways to improve the region’s access to global trade opportunities.

The event, organised by ECA’s Trade and Regional Integration Division (TRID) and its Southern Africa sub-regional office, was held in the Mozambican capital, Maputo, 4-6 April 2005. The aim was to deepen the regional trade negotiators’ understanding of current Economic Partnership Agreements (EPA) and the World Trade Organisation’s talks, as well as to define policies and strategies for the future.

The meeting was opened by Mozambique’s Trade and Industry Minister, Antonio Fernando, who reminded participants that an effective multilateral trading system was vital for development and sustainable economic growth. Improved market access, he stressed, was indispensable for Africa’s progress. He added that greater regional integration was an important first step towards the continent’s global integration.

Also attending the meeting was Dickson Mzumara from ECA’s Southern Africa office. He said he hoped the event would contribute to strengthening capacity in the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) countries so as to boost their impact on international trade negotiations.
For her part, the UN Resident Representative in Mozambique, Marylene Spezzati, told participants that the workshop provided an opportunity to discuss trade issues concerning the proposed EPA, share experiences, identify challenges and define strategies. She also noted that NEPAD initiatives provided an enabling environment for trade and investment in the sub-region.
The meeting was organized in collaboration with UNDP.

Click here for full report of the meeting:

Issued by the ECA Communication Team
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