1- ECOWAS Trade Policy 2- Overview of EPADP and its link with development strategies in West Africa 3- Conclusions

Transcription

1 Mainstreaming trade into regional and national development strategies ECOWAS Aid for Trade review meeting Abuja, January 2010 ECOWAS Commission 1 Content 1- ECOWAS Trade Policy 2- Overview of EPADP and its link with development strategies in West Africa 3- Conclusions 2 Page 1

2 Elements of ECOWAS Common Trade Policy (1) Overall objective of ECOWAS Vision 2020 is to achieve sustainable development, eradicate poverty and ensure regional peace and security Implementation of ECOWAS Common Trade Policy is a key pillar to achieve that objective ECOWAS has taken a number of measures to carry out activities which constitute key elements of ECOWAS Common Trade Policy The following activities could be cited, among others: Operationalisation of ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme established since 2000 Establishment of ECOWAS Common External Tariff Establishment of a monetary union Establishment of a preferential community tariff Facilitation of intra-community trade 3 Eléments of the ECOWAS Common Trade Policy (2) Convention on Inter-State Road Transit Harmonisation of indirect internal fiscal legislation Promotion of private sector and informal trade regulation Adoption of ECOWAS Common Competition policy Implementation of sectoral policies : agriculture, infrastructures etc. Negotiations on the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) Strengthening of ECOWAS member States capacity for trade negotiations The formulation of ECOWAS Common Trade Policy Document is in progress in order to consolidate the achieved results, reinforce the common market and regional integration 4 Page 2

3 Overview of EPADP : mainstreaming trade into development strategies Formulation of EPADP by West Africa in the context of the EPA negotiations to deal with the development dimension of this agreement Principle of EPADP : contribution to the implementation of policies and strategies adopted at regional, national and sectoral level Coherence of EPADP with: Regional and national poverty-reduction strategies axes identified for ECOWAS Community Development Programme UEMOA Regional Economic Programme Sectoral development strategies: agriculture, environment, industry etc. 5 Overview of EPADP : process of its formulation Formulation of EPADP and operational plans based on a participatory approach involving regional and national stakeholders Particularly, carrying out of study in each West Africa state to take stock of ongoing trade related projects/programmes (Integrated Framework, JITAP etc.) and to identify priority needs Formulation of EPADP based on axes adopted for Aid for Trade at multilateral level Identification of criteria to select EPADP activities 6 Page 3

4 Overview of EPADP: link vision-objectives - axes ECOWAS VISION GENERAL OBJECTIVE SPECIFIC OBJECTIVE 1. ECOWAS of States to an ECOWAS of people; 2. A borderless region; 3. A space where the population can live in dignity and peace within the framework of law and good governance; 4. A region well integrated into the global community A competitive and harmoniously integrated regional economy integrated into the global economy which stimulates growth and sustainable development Benefit from the opportunities of the EPA and mitigate against potential negative effects AXES Diversification and increase of production capacities Development of intra-regional and facilitation of access to international markets Improving regional and national trade related structures Adjustment costs and other trade related needs Implementation and monitoring & evaluation of the EPA 7 Overview of EPADP : Duration EPADP is in keeping with a long-term vision endorsed with the realisation of the development objective expected from the EPA To be implemented in five years stages sequences. Matrix of priority activities for the first five years phase has been elaborated 8 Page 4

5 Overview of EPADP : Implementation actors Large scope of the thematic areas covered by EPADP Implementation actors : regional organizations, specialized agencies, development institutions, states, non-state actors, implementing agencies Activities entrusted to the appropriate institution, most qualified and closest to the action and can achieve results Regional Integration Organizations: natural role of promotion and formulation of policies or programs Specialized organizations: to be in charge of activities for which they have developed comparative advantage States: key role in the implementation of major projects, principle of subsidiary between national and regional levels Non states actors: to build their capacity to be able to implement projects or programs entrusted to them 9 Overview of EPADP : Institutional mechanisms Regional level Regional Steering Committee Regional implementation, coordination and monitoring Committee Regional technical support unit Implementing bodies/agencies National level National Steering Committee National technical support unit Institutional implementation mechanism 10 Page 5

6 Conclusions (1) Given the structure and the importance of trade in the economy of West Africa region, the regional trade policy is a key tool for the development of the region and for poverty reduction Trade policy instruments have been used by ECOWAS to advance integration, industrialisation, value addition and general development in the region Formulation of the Common Trade Policy will enable to harmonise and coordinate the trade and trade related policies in the West Africa region EPADP offers a coherent framework to connect trade and development EPADP framework document and the national operational plans provide adequate information on relevant and priority activities to be undertaken to mainstream trade into development. Needs mainly centred around trade-related infrastructure 11 Conclusions (2) Need for the integration of the identified activities into budget instruments Other challenges: large number of thematic areas covered by the program, multiplicity of implementation actors, namely, regional organizations specialized agencies, development institutions, States, non state actors etc Need to set up operational institutional framework at regional and national levels Activities identified within the EPADP exceed resources available therefore requiring additional funding Increased absorption capacity and improved donor coordination is necessary to optimise the level of implementation of the EPADP and ensure Aid Effectiveness 12 Page 6

7 Thank you for your attention Merci de votre attention Obrigado 13 Page 7