EU to launch trade talks with Eastern and Southern Africa
BRUSSELS, Feb 5, 2004 (Xinhua) — The European Union (EU) will this weekend launch trade talks with 16 eastern and southern African countries in a bid to reach a region-to-region partnership accord.
EU trade commissioner Pascal Lamy will open two-day talks on the framework for an Economic and Partnership Agreement (EPA) with the African nations, the EU executive European Commission (EC) said on Thursday.
“The EPA negotiations with Eastern and Southern Africa will follow a hands-on approach: development is the objective, trade one of the tools,” Lamy said on the eve of his departure to Mauritius.
In Mauritius, both sides will agree on the structure and the roadmap for the negotiations. Furthermore, they will exchange views on regional priorities and how to integrate most effectively the development dimension in the EPA process.
“Tearing down barriers to trade among themselves is the necessary complement to the almost full access to the EU market already enjoyed by these countries,” said a EC statement.
The EC said that the EU has already committed more than 700 million euros (about 880.6 million US dollars) for supporting trade-related activities and regional integration in the eastern and southern African countries.
EU development commissioner Poul Nielson welcomed what he called the African nations’ “important” decision to initiate EPA negotiations with the Union.
“Deepening regional integration, breaking down barriers to neighbors and creating larger markets are crucial steps if these countries are to stimulate the necessary investments and productivity improvements that will drive their development,” he said.
The 16 countries, including Burundi, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Mauritius, Rwanda, Sudan, Uganda and Zimbabwe, form part of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA). Other countries in the region have decided not to join the talks.
In 2002, trade between the 16 countries with the EU amounted to 10.3 billion euros (about 12.5 billion dollars).