African trade negotiators strategize on kick-starting the Doha Round of WTO talks
By Andrew Allimadi, Communication Officer, ECA
19 November 2004

The Economic Commissions for Africa (ECA), in collaboration with the African Development Bank, the African Union, UNDP and other UN partners, is organizing two important trade-related meetings in Tunis, Tunisia for African trade negotiators and other stakeholders.

The first one is an Expert Group Meeting on Market Access, which runs from the 21 – 22 November. The objective of this meeting is to enhance the negotiating capacity of African multilateral trade negotiators as they tackle the contentious issue of access for African products into rich-country markets. Experts will critically analyze the various propositions in the Doha Round and their implications for African exports; present the technical aspects of the various formulae being proposed under agriculture and non-agricultural market access (NAMA) negotiations; discuss the technical issues on non-tariff barriers to trade; help define Africa’s position on services negotiations; and make recommendations that will guide African policymakers and negotiators on future negotiations.

The second meeting is a High-Level Brainstorming Meeting for African Trade Negotiators and Officials, which will run from 25 – 26 November 2004. The objective is to undertake a comprehensive evaluation of the outcome and implications of recently concluded World Trade Organization (WTO) “July Package”, intended to jump start the stalled Doha round; assist African countries to develop and refine their strategies for further negotiations; identify key areas of importance to African countries in the various “modalities” to be negotiated; develop suggestions on modalities for agriculture and non-agricultural market access (NAMA), and for negotiations on trade facilitation, based on research; and map out a strategy for future negotiations.

At the end of the week, African countries will emerge with a comprehensive road map for taking the Doha process forward and strategies for safeguarding African interests.