Nairobi — The delay in the signing of economic partnership agreements by East African Community member states has aroused the ire of the European Union.
The EU has described the situation as untenable and contrary to both EU law and World Trade Organisation rules. According to Mr Timothy Clarke, head of the EU Delegation in Tanzania, the deal needs to be sealed swiftly.
"ACP (African, Caribbean and Pacific Group) countries which signed EPAs enjoy free access to EU markets, but they also took legally binding commitments, while a number of others, including EAC countries, enjoy the same free access without any legally binding commitments," said Mr Clarke.
Talks meant to draft rules of engagement following the expiry of the earlier agreements have stalled over objection to Europe's introduction of new trade-related issues.
The EPAs were supposed to be concluded by July 31, 2009, but missed the deadline due to lack of consensus on rules of origin, the most-favoured nation clause on agriculture, trade in services and sustainable development.
In December, the EU Delegation in Nairobi said that failure to finalise the EPAs process could lead to Non-Least Developed Countries such as Kenya being put on the less generous Generalised System of Preferences list.
"We would like to convey a clear message to EAC ministers meeting tomorrow (Friday): It is now time to follow through with the clear forward-looking agreement of 2007." said Mr Clarke.
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You have had "pacts" with these euro-slave traders and wealth plunderers for years - and indeed centuries.
And through it all, the African Child has been impoverished and weakened and slaughtered year by year - while the resource-poor imperialists have waxed increasingly prosperous from the wealth of fabulously-wealthy Africa - the most resource-rich continent.
It is said that a fool is one who does the same thing over and over - and expects a different result.
Try something else, African Child. Try developing your own manufacturing capacity. It takes a plan. And Africa has capable planners and managers for large projects. And take stock of, develope and organize your technological base. Your markets are vast - over a trillion dolars worth each year. You don't need those of Europe of the human exterminators.
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And you don't have to build Europe. [In fact, Europe owes you - BIG!]
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GO EAST, MY SON.
lets just remember that we have been dealing with these nations for centuries but their ways are just too cunning, selfish and untrustworthy, and we are still poor.we have made more progress in a decade trading with the east than we made trading the west for centuries. its already built into their system and children brains that they are biological better than us..they can give you free access to their markets but they still have a barrier which is the negative image of Africa and its products that no one will buy our products and instead continue to buy theirs and at the same time keep the flow of resources coming in..they have kept capital from flowing south by portraying the continent as a poor, war torn country, even though Africa isn't a country, and they are good pockets where things are well..and hence scaring any foreign investors away, the only time they show Africa in their media is when there is war, hunger, and never show the progress and we cant have a partner like that..but at the same its no good having resources if you cant protect them..because we all need resources to develop and sustain ourselves, so even if we refuse to trade with them, they will get desperate to sustain their ways of lives, that if push, come to shove, believe me when i say that they will use force to gain them..since we cant protect ourselves against them, we think that we need them but in actual fact they need us..LAST THING IN ANY NEGOTIATIONS, ONE SHOULD NEVER SUCCUMB TO PRESSURE CZ ITS A TECHNIQUE TO FORCE YOU TO SIGN A BAD CONTRACT, AND OVER READ THE DETAILS..if they continue to pressure us, then we should tell them to take the contract and shove it up their rear end. that is what most professional negotiators do when you pressure them.