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EU to review trade policy towards developing countries
17.03.10
The European Commission on Tuesday launched a public consultation on review of the European Union (EU)'s trade policy towards developing countries.
EU Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht announced the launch of the consultation at a conference, which was designed to discuss publicly how to maintain the effectiveness of the EU's General System of Preferences (GSP) in promoting development, how to make the most of regional trade agreements with developing countries, and how to encourage sustainable development.
But the consultation was specifically about the review of the EU's GSP scheme, under which the EU grants tariff preferences to developing countries. The results of the consultation would feed into the commission's future proposal on an updated GSP regulation.
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ECOWAS demands EU’s commitment to development fund
16.03.10
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is urging the European Union (EU) to show real monetary commitment to a proposed development fund for the subregion.
The call, announced in a press release, follows an ECOWAS Ministerial Monitoring Committee held over the weekend in Cotonou, Benin. Negotiations are expected to commence on Wednesday to lay the foundation for a new trade regime, which aims to create a free trade area of the two regions.
Some issues that remain to be resolved related to the Economic Partnership Agreement Development Programme (EPADP) fund are : what each partner will give to the fund, and how it could be accessed.
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Europe losing Caribbean’s support
16.03.10
In Madrid on May 18 the Spanish Government as President of the European Union will host the sixth summit of Heads of Government of the European Union and Latin America and the Caribbean. In the margins, a series of bilateral mini-summits will be held including one on May 17 with Cariforum.
The events are meant to cement a new relationship between Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean and result in a wide-ranging political declaration that in part expresses satisfaction about the positive development of relations with the Caribbean. Whether the process will be smooth sailing with the Caribbean is uncertain. As details begin to emerge of new trade arrangements that the European Commission has negotiated with Andean and Central American nations, Caribbean governments have begun to question how serious Europe is about wanting a partnership.
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Crunch time for EU, EAC trade talks
16.03.10
Talks on new trade between the East African Community and the European Union enter a critical stage this week when EAC trade ministers meet in Arusha, Tanzania.
The four-day meeting that begins on Friday is expected to address areas of disagreement between the EAC and the EU with time running out on the March 31, 2010 deadline.
EAC trade ministers will be briefed on the outcome of the EU-EAC technical meeting in Brussels on February 23-24, 2010 to resolve sticky issues that have delayed the talks. The areas the EU and the EAC are yet to agree on are development cooperation, the most favoured nation clause and trade in services.
EAC member states are negotiating a new trade arrangement known as the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) to replace the non-reciprocal trade preferences granted under the 2000 Cotonou Agreement.
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Sir John leaves Brussels after 5 successful years at the ACP
12.03.10
Sir John Kaputin, the outgoing Secretary-General of the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Group and his management signed off from Brussels, Belgium last week after a successful five-year spell at the pinnacle of the organisation.
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EU support to regional integration in Africa: A shared vision
12.03.10
Motivated by its own experience over the past fifty years, the European Union (EU) has been a long-standing supporter of regional integration throughout the world, including in the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries where there has been a steady expansion, in both depth and breadth, of regional integration initiatives. While the EU experience is a point of reference for integration initiatives within the ACP and other regions, the EU does not promote a “one size fits all approach” in this regard. Thus, within the ACP, the EU tailors its support to the priorities, pace and methods identified by the countries of the region in line with their own integration agendas.
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Africa-EU Energy Partnership: 3rd Joint Expert Group meeting (JEG)
12.03.10
The 3rd Africa-EU Energy Partnership Joint Expert Group (JEG) meeting was held in
Cairo on 23-24 February, with an encouragingly broad participation on the African side in
particular, the African team counting for 31 out of a total of 47 participants and including
experts from African regional power-pools, regional economic communities and specialised
institutions/organisations. The Egyptian ministry of energy and electricity was obviously
represented in strong numbers in this home play event.
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Economic wars
10.03.10
Since the end of the Second World War, the big powers have concentrated on military might and the build up of arms and ammunition. The Soviet Union on one side and the USA on the other side have spent much public resources over the last six decades on stockpiles of missiles, submarines, and other logistics to become super powers.
What is now evident is that while the super powers were building up militarily, some non descript poverty stricken economies such as India and China were pouring as much resources as they could into economic capacity building over the last four decades.
The irony is that the remaining protagonists of the Second World War continued the war through arms build ups and missile pointing across the oceans, while some developing economies changed the parameters of the war from firepower to economic growth and dominance. These economic wars have always been around from time immemorial. Today the wars have evolved and become more sophisticated under the guise of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), the North Atlantic Free Trade Area (NAFTA), the European Union (EU), the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN), the South African Customs Union (SACU), the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the East African Community (EAC), the Southern African Development Community (SADC), and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) to name but just a few.
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Either in or out of EPA – EU tells Namibia
10.03.10
The European Union has asked Namibia to stop skating on thin ice and make up her mind whether to be in or out of the Economic Partnership Agreement between the European Union (EU) and Southern Africa Development Community (SADC).
The EU says the current situation where Namibia has initialled but is refusing to sign the final agreement is “untenable” and is about to open a can of legal worms, from both the EU and the World Trade Organisation – the very institution on whose rules Namibia is arguing her case for not signing the final EPA.
“This situation cannot be sustained, the state of play is untenable,” the head of EPA unit at the trade directorate-general of the European Commission, Jacques Wunenburger, told a SADC-EU meeting in Maputo on March 1 and 2. The meeting discussed the impasse and status of the EU-SADC EPA agreement.
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European Union rules to benefit Papua New Guinea tuna sector
09.03.10
Prior to this official inclusion last Feb 4 (2010), under the then Cotonu Agreement, PNG (and others) could only export to EU markets duty-free on fish caught only in archipelagic and territorial waters, Na- tional Fisheries Authority (NFA) managing director Sylvester Pokajam said.
With the inclusion, PNG can now export to EU markets fish caught anywhere in the world and not just restricted to archipelagic and territorial waters, he said.
Archipelagic waters are those internally-owned by sovereign nations such as ownership of land, while territorial waters are those located 12 nautical miles from archipelagic waters to the start of the 200 nautical mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
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East Africa strikes free trade deal with the EU
08.03.10
The East African Community moved closer to striking a deal on Economic Partnership Agreement negotiations with the European Union after Brussels softened its stand on development support – a key demand of African states that has stalled the talks for nearly three years.
The deal was struck at a recent meeting of EAC and EU officials in Brussels where the Europeans reportedly agreed to finance priority development programmes in East Africa, removing a major obstacle to conclusion of the deal.
An EAC official, who attended the meeting, told Business Daily that the European Commission (EC) had asked East African states to prepare a list of priority projects and programmes that require EU funding for possible approval in the next two weeks.
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Complete procedures, EPA signatories urged
08.03.10
HEAD of the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) units at the European Commission in Brussels, Jacques Wunenburger has urged the countries that signed the interim EPA to complete internal procedures in order to quicken its implementation.
Wunenburger spoke during a seminar of SADC EPA stakeholders aimed at discussing benefits of the SADC-EU EPA in Maputo last week. He urged Swaziland, Mozambique, Botswana and Lesotho to quickly finish their internal procedures so that the EPA could enter into force as soon as possible. “I also invite Namibia to take a bold decision on its role in the EPA process, as further delaying signature to the EPA it initiated two years ago is creating a very shaky legal situation,” he said.
So far, amongst Southern African Customs Union (SACU) members, South Africa and Namibia have refused to sign the EPA with the EU. Angola, though not a member of SACU, have also not signed too.
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Zimbabwe's Mugabe dismisses renewal of EU sanctions
05.03.10
Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe on Wednesday dismissed the renewal of the European Union (EU) sanctions on his country as a futile attempt by the West to disrupt the country's developmental process.
In his first public reaction after Tuesday's extension of the sanctions for another year, Mugabe said the sanctions were designed to curtail progress, but vowed these would not derail government efforts to revive the economy. "We know their attitude. They do not want any country to make any meaningful development and that attitude is more pronounced here in Zimbabwe," the State news agency, New Ziana, quoted him as saying.
"We have natural resources which they envy, we have land which we took and this has made them feel that they have lost what they thought belonged to them."
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Launch of the reconstruction phase in Haiti: Commission deploys first 100 millions euro envelope for governmental buildings, schools, roads and technical assistance
05.03.10
EU Development Commissioner Andris Piebalgs announced today the release of €100 millions to support recovery activities in Haiti. This amount will be used for the reconstruction of government buildings and key state infrastructures, budget support to help the government maintain essential expenditures such as the payment of salaries, rebuilding of schools and strengthening of the education system, consolidation of the main road around Port-au-Prince, enhancement of civil protection capabilities and technical assistance. These priority needs have been agreed together with the Haitian government. This first envelope will be disbursed from now until May.
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European Union increases its aid to Botswana
05.03.10
The country’s National Development Plan 10 (NDP 10) got a shot in the arm after the European Union (EU) increased its aid to Botswana by 15 percent to P650 million just before the presentation of the 2010/11 Development budget. The financing agreements are for the Human Resources Development Sector Policy Support (HRD SPSP) and the Support to Botswana – EU Cooperation (BEUC) Projects funded under the European Development Fund (EDF) 10.
Last week, the Minister of Finance and Development Planning Kenneth Matambo and the Head of Delegation of the EU to Botswana, Ambassador Paul Malin, signed two financing agreements totalling P650 million to be provided as grant aid for human resource development. The first agreement for P600 million will support the Government budget to assist Botswana in producing an adequate supply of qualified, productive, healthy and competitive human resources.
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Kenya may break ranks with EAC on trade deal with Europe
04.03.10
Kenya is considering breaking ranks with its East Africa partners and sign a framework on new economic trade pacts with Europe, citing its disadvantaged position should it fail to do so. “We have been patient for long and the time may have come to put down our feet and sign the framework. Other regional countries have a fall back position in terms of the Everything But Arms (EBA) should things go wrong,” a senior official at Trade ministry in Nairobi told Business Daily.
Under the EBA arrangement, Europe offers countries under the UN roll of least developed countries (LDCs) free access of all their products to its market except arms and ammunition.
Under the European Union (EU) regulations when a country is excluded by the UN LDCs, it is automatically stripped of the preferential terms but accorded a three year transitional period to adjust to the expected knock effects.
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Red EPA lights flicker for Namibia
04.03.10
South Africa and Angola could soon be left in the cold if they continue to resist signing the economic partnership agreement (EPA) with the European Union (EU) which is increasingly under pressure to streamline its trading policies under World Trade Organisation (WTO) regulations, the European Commission’s trade directorate has said.
Addressing an information seminar on the EPA negotiations between the EU and the Southern African Development Community (SADC), Jacques Wunenburger, head of the commission’s trade directorate, said countries that have signed the interim EPA are rightfully concerned that the EU is continuing to grant SA, Angola and Namibia the same privileges in terms of trade access even though they had not signed.
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NGOs Oppose EPAs
04.03.10
The European Union yesterday accused NGOs of making it difficult for civil society to understand and support its negotiations with African regions to create fair economic partnership agreements (EPAs) by labelling the processes the "re-colonisation" of the continent.
Addressing an information seminar on the EPA negotiations between the EU and the Southern African Development Community (SADC), Fabio Fabbi communications head of the European Commission's trade directorate said it was unfortunate that some NGOs in Africa and Europe were campaigning against the agreements and describing them as a "devastating assault on Africa".
"It is not true that EPAs equals re-colonisation of this continent (Africa), the Caribbean and the Pacific countries but the campaign has made us realise that we need to go out to business and civil society structures in these areas and explain all aspects of the agreements and how they will improve people's lives," he said.
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Why EU is in dilemma over payment of funds for regional development
04.03.10
This seems to be the latest dilemma facing the leadership of the European Union (EU) following the findings of a new audit that partly blames a crowded field of organisations for the in-effectiveness of a special fund aimed at supporting regional economic integration in East Africa.
The EU’s funding for international co-operation with Africa has over the years mainly come through three geographically-based financing instruments including the European Development Fund (EDF) that caters for African nations under African Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) group.
Huge allocations through the EDF have particularly been channelled towards financing infrastructure projects in countries such as Kenya as a way to catalysing single and flawless market fabrics in the region.
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EU-ACP: building new trade and development partnerships
04.03.10
Does aid alone deliver development? Or shouldn’t the EU (the biggest aid donor worldwide, particularly in Africa) pursue a strategy that combines trade and development, so as to help boost a process of self-sustained economic growth? At the European Commission, we are convinced that we need new trade and development partnerships, contributing towards a stable business environment, to attract foreign investment and help developing countries integrate into regional and global economies.
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Presidential election in Togo on 4 March 2010
04.03.10
The ACP Committee of Ambassadors has been closely and confidently monitoring the preparations for the presidential election to be held in Togo on 4 March 2010, fully recognizing its importance not only for Togo, but for the entire ACP Group, many of whose Member States will be holding elections during the current year.
The Committee of Ambassadors expresses the wish that the election on 4 March takes place in an atmosphere of calm and is transparent and credible. To this end, it urges all the Togolese stakeholders, in particular the candidates, to keep the supreme interest of the Togolese nation over and above all others, and to ensure that the election confirms the anchoring of the democratic process in Togo and serves as a model within the ACP arena.
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A new decade for peace and security in Africa
04.03.10
Against the backdrop of the African Year of Peace and Security, 2010 will mark a turning point in Euro-African co-operation in this vital area for the continent’s future.
Under the auspices of the African Union, Africa has come a long way in the security stakes. Nevertheless, the continent is still plagued with deadly conflicts and civil strife in such places as Sudan, Zimbabwe, Somalia and the Democratic Republic of Congo. For that reason, the African Union has declared 2010 to be the Year of Peace and Security in Africa.
“Armed conflicts in Africa kill thousands of people every year; create humanitarian disasters; wipe out livelihoods of ordinary people; and make sustainable economic development impossible,” said Ramtane Lamamra, the AU’s Commissioner for Peace and Security. “2010 will be a year of many challenges. While in the past few years, the number of violent conflicts has been significantly reduced, thanks to the collective determination and efforts of Africa, far too many African countries remain trapped in a vicious cycle of conflict with its attendant deadly consequences.”
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EU welcomes return of Nigeria's ailing president
04.03.10
The European Union on Monday welcomed President Umaru Yar'Adua's return to Nigeria, while urging acting leader Goodluck Jonathan "to foster stability".
"The European Union welcomes news of the return of President Yar'Adua to Abuja. The EU extends its best wishes to the president," a spokesman for EU foreign affairs chief Catherine Ashton said.
Yar'Adua arrived back in Nigeria last week after three months abroad for medical treatment, throwing the country into confusion and reviving concerns of a leadership squabble just two weeks after Vice President Jonathan was installed as acting president.
"The EU acknowledges the challenge posed by uncertainty in the political process in Nigeria at the present time, and commends the will of the democratic institutions of Nigeria to remain faithful to the principles of democracy, responsible governance and the rule of law," Ashton's spokesman stressed.
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PIP tour in ACP countries
04.03.10
Between March and June, PIP will be visiting several ACP countries to launch the new Phase. At a series of launch events the PIP team will present the extended scope of our activities, describe how to access support, and answer any questions.
The team will also be available after the events to meet with individuals who require more detailed discussions or wish to explore potential support. The events will be open to a range of invited people and organisations – focusing especially on partners and potential beneficiaries.
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Why the Commission is a burden to ACP countries
02.03.10
Common sense dictates that health and education should be at the heart of the EU’s efforts to fight poverty in the wider world. AIDS, infant mortality, illiteracy and the deaths of women during childbirth can only be tackled if investment in schools, hospitals and the people who rely on them is prioritised. Unfortunately, this message seems to have been lost on Louis Michel, the European commissioner for development.
Michel and his officials are currently preparing a series of plans for spending EU aid to the Africa, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) bloc. These country strategy papers will be submitted to EU governments later this year.
It would be tragic if they are guided by a recent Michel blueprint for effectively downgrading the importance which the EU attaches to health and education.
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Encouraging internal reforms in Zimbabwe
02.03.10
The Foreign Affairs Council adopted conclusions on 22 February concerning the situation in Zimbabwe and the renewal of the sanctions imposed by the EU owing to the insufficient progress by the country with its internal reforms. These restrictions can only be lifted in response to concrete steps in the implementation of the 2008 power-sharing deal known as the Global Political Agreement (GPA).
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Ceremony by the ACP Committee of Ambassadors to mark the assumption of duty of H.E. Dr. Mohamed Ibn Chambas as the new ACP Secretary General
02.03.10
An extraordinary session of the ACP Committee of Ambassadors was held today at ACP House to mark the assumption of duty of H.E. Dr. Mohamed Ibn Chambas as the new ACP Secretary General.
In order to emphasize the strong backing that Dr. Chambas has from his country and his region, Ghana, his country of origin, was represented by the Honourable Muhammad Mumuni, Foreign Minister of the Republic of Ghana. In his speech, Mr Mumuni thanked the ACP Group for the confidence that they have shown in his compatriot by appointing him to this elevated post as head of the ACP Group of 79 countries.
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Dr. Mohamed Ibn Chambas takes over as new Secretary General of the ACP Group and the ACP Secretariat
02.03.10
There is a new captain aboard the ACP Group and that is Dr. Mohamed Ibn Chambas. Dr. Chambas took up office this morning as Secretary General and will be steering the ACP ship over the coming five years until 28th February 2015.
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EU trade pacts
02.03.10
THE European Union Parliament is to give its consent to a draft decision aimed at approving the interim economic partnership agreement between the EU and the Pacific States.
This follows a meeting of the EU’s Economic and Financial Affairs Council last month.
The council members included the finance ministers of all EU member countries.
Last December, Fiji signed an interim Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with the EU.
The agreement focused on trade in goods and providing duty free - quota free access for all products from Fiji to the EU market.
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Kenya blames EU changes for stalled EPAs
02.03.10
The Kenyan government now says structural changes within the European Union (EU) are partly to blame for derailing negotiations on Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) whose set completion date was July last year.
Trade Minister Amos Kimunya said on Monday that the government would meet EU officials to establish the impact of those changes to the EPA negotiations, adding, however, that the negotiations are still ongoing.
He also asked the East African business community to focus on the long-term objectives of the negotiations rather than the expired time line. “There were changes within the EU at the commissioner’s level and we have been following that to see how the changes affect our ongoing negotiations. We will have a meeting this weekend to review where our negotiations have reached and then take a decision on the way forward. The important thing for us to remember is that all these negotiations must in the long run serve East Africa in the best possible way,” he said.
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