Distinguished Participants,
Dear Colleagues,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

On behalf of the Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), it is my pleasure to welcome you to this regional workshop on trade and environment.  This important meeting is organized by ECA as part of a major capacity-building project that we have undertaken in collaboration with three other UN Regional Commissions: the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), the Economic and Social Commission for West Asia (ESCWA) and the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC).

The importance and timeliness of this project are evident.  The growth and liberalization of international trade are changing the way we live and work.  Trade flows and the rules that govern them are a massive force for economic, social and environmental change.  International trade is becoming an increasingly important driver of economic development, as it has been expanding over the last two decades.  Developing countries are rightly looking to trade and investment as a central part of their strategies for development.  As such, trade is a key tool for development for all countries.

For Africa, trade can either help or distort sustainable development, depending on how the Region positions itself on the world stage of globalisation.  But, as we all know, the continent is faced with many challenges in this regard.

In the first place, Africa’s trade mainly consists of export of raw natural resources and import of manufactured items, both of which can be associated with negative impacts on the environment and intra/inter-generational equity.  It is clear that trade in Africa has led to land degradation, pollution and natural resource erosion.  Yet, compared to other developing regions, Africa’s share in global trade has been falling.  Furthermore, there has been very little trade among African countries.

This has been the pattern over the past four decades and, today, Africa’s failure to achieve a structural transformation of its economy is at the core of the continent’s inability to eradicate poverty and achieve sustainable development.

Distinguished participants,

Ladies and gentlemen,

Trade and environment policies are mutually supportive.  And, as the Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme, Dr Klaus Topfer put it, successful integration of these policies can only be achieved through a constructive dialogue based on broader awareness and understanding of the complex linkages between trade and environment.

Environmental considerations in trade can be an opportunity or a hindrance to sustainable development.  Such considerations that have impacts on Africa include environmental requirements and standards imposed by industrialized countries, Trade and Multilateral Environmental Agreements, trade in hazardous and inferior quality goods, and the potential use of environment as a means to increase market access.

Addressing these issues calls for policy-makers who are capable of formulating coherent trade and environment policies effectively, with a view to increasing market access for Africa’s products, while enhancing environmental sustainability and promoting sustainable development.

This is why our collaborative project on Trade and Environment is particularly important.  It aims to equip decision makers with the necessary tools to build the policy coherence needed to:

a)       Maximize economic benefits and minimize environmental pressures arising from trade expansion and liberalization;

b)       Manage trade-related pressures on environmental sustainability;

c)       Promote sustainable development and reduce poverty.

During this workshop, you will be asked to review and validate the findings of the regional study that is before you.  This study was prepared with inputs from our member States.  Regrettably, less than half of the member States responded effectively to our request to submit country case studies.  Therefore, this workshop provides another opportunity to review the findings of the report and ensure that relevant trade and environment issues from your country experiences are adequately and correctly reflected.  Indeed, your contributions in the next few days will be incorporated in the final version of the report.

Distinguished participants,

Your participation in this workshop is also crucial for another reason.  As decision makers, you are aware of capacity needs of your respective countries.  I urge you to reflect on these needs in your deliberations and to assist in developing strategies to meet them.  The forthcoming capacity building workshops, planned for June this year, will be useful in concretising your strategies.  Designed for French and English-speaking African countries, these workshops will address the capacity gaps to enable policy makers formulate sound trade and environment policies.

Therefore, as we look forward to your participation in these future workshops, I urge you to spend some time to reflect on what specific outcomes you expect from the present one and how its deliberations and prescriptions can make a difference to your respective countries.

To conclude, I thank you for responding to our call to assist in Africa’s quest for sustainable development.  Notwithstanding your heavy schedule for the next three days, I hope that you will find opportunities to enjoy the hospitality of Addis Ababa.

I am happy to declare this workshop open.

Thank you for your attention.