Evidence-Based Research Should Inform Africa's Position On Regional Integration - ECA

21 October 2013
press release

Addis Ababa — At a meeting of the Eighth Ordinary Session of the Conference of African Ministers of Trade this week, a Senior Official of the Economic Commission for Africa, (ECA) has stressed the need for "a rethink of trade and integration priorities" towards a more strategic approach that is informed by sound research.

Speaking on behalf of the ECA Executive Secretary, Mr. Carlos Lopes, Mr. Stephen Karingi said that recent trends show that a higher volume of exports between African countries is of a more sophisticated nature, compared to African exports to the rest of the world. This, he said, has important policy implications for Africa's industrial policy in terms of supporting the development of the manufacturing sector and can lead to higher export diversification.

He urged for a shift in the way trade is viewed and stressed: "We must necessarily let our trade policy be led by Africa's agenda."

"We should be open to have our trade policies as strategic as they can be and we should not hesitate to have our trade agreements, be they with industrialized and/or emerging economies be re-designed, re-negotiated and re-sequenced," he said, adding that this shift would create and preserves the policy space required for Africa's industrialization and the effective implementation of regional economic integration initiatives.

"It is what empirical evidence shows is good for our continent that should inform our positions," he added.

He noted that Africa has allowed its regional integration agenda to be dominated by trade. But, stressed, "The worst part is that we have also allowed our trade agenda to both be determined and driven by the international trade negotiations."

On services and trade facilitation, for instance, he underscored that trade is likely to be more inclusive if we give importance to services as we do to the trade in merchandise goods and underscored that services are important inputs to both manufacturing and agriculture sectors.

The services trade agenda, said Karingi, needs to be linked to initiatives that seek to promote trade of locally produced goods, such as the continental free trade area and the boosting intra-African trade.

Present at the meeting were senior representatives from the Ethiopian Ministry of Trade; AUC; regional and international organizations; and members of the Diplomatic Corps based in Addis Ababa.

Issued by:

ECA External Communications and Media Relations Section

PO Box 3001

Addis Ababa

Ethiopia

Tel: +251 11 551 5826

E-mail: ecainfo[at]uneca[dot]org

www.uneca.org

AllAfrica publishes around 500 reports a day from more than 100 news organizations and over 500 other institutions and individuals, representing a diversity of positions on every topic. We publish news and views ranging from vigorous opponents of governments to government publications and spokespersons. Publishers named above each report are responsible for their own content, which AllAfrica does not have the legal right to edit or correct.

Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica. To address comments or complaints, please Contact us.