Zambia needs domestic policy initiatives, says Chilipamushi
Zambia needs domestic policy initiatives, says ChilipamushiBy Joan Chirwa
Friday May 25, 2007 [04:00]
DEVELOPING countries have been urged to shield themselves from trade arrangements that would impact on effective governance of their emerging economies, as negotiations for the ACP/EU Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) almost wind up.
And commerce, trade and industry permanent secretary Davidson Chilipamushi said Zambia needs domestic policy initiatives that would ensure that trade is used as a tool for promoting development in the country.
During a civil society conference on Trade Policy and Development in Lusaka on Wednesday, Zambia Episcopal Conference (ZEC) secretary general Father Joe Komakoma said no single change could make a greater contribution to eliminating poverty than fully opening up the markets of prosperous countries to goods produced by poor nations.
The Trade Policy and Development conference discussed key issues of the EPAs between the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries and the European Union (EU).
Phase two of the EPA negotiations is in full swing, with only six months before the trade agreements are signed on December 31, 2007.
However, countries in the Eastern and Southern African (ESA) region - Zambia inclusive - have expressed concern that many issues have not been tackled for the agreements to be effected by 2008.
“The liberalisation rules in Free Trade Areas (FTAs) that threaten to drive local firms out of business and will reduce competition as well as extend the monopoly power of large companies must be opposed,” Fr Komakoma said.
He further said domestic policies that foster economic growth were of prime importance.
“Developing countries, individually, must be allowed to protect key food and livelihood security products in line with the special products proposal for agriculture tabled in the July 2004 framework agreement of the World Trade Organisation (WTO),” said Fr Komakoma.
And Chilipamushi, who earlier this year indicated that Zambia would not open up any of its sectors to the EU countries until the development agenda of the EPAs is addressed, said trade must be seen as a basis on which developing countries could begin to grow.
“It is important that when you use trade as a tool for development, this must lead to job creation and alleviation of poverty,” said Chilipamushi.
With the advent of the EPAs, developing countries fear that poverty would increase if supply side constraints of the negotiations are not addressed.
Once EPAs are implemented, African countries and the EU are expected to open up their markets, a situation that will see goods from both sides being traded without restrictions.
Labels: DAVIDSON CHILIPAMUSHI, EPAs, GOVERNANCE
posted by MrK @ 5:16 AM
3 Comments:
I thought our biggest obstacle was lack of trade experts!! lol!!
By the way MrK - you can register your blog at www.afrigator.com
Its a new aggregator for african bloggers. I have put New Zambia on there..
I have now added yours there as well as other Zambian blogs. Your articles will be seen. Check:
http://afrigator.com/Zambia
Cho,
Thanks. I hadn't come across Afrigator yet.
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