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Zambia won't be pushed into signing EPAs - Mutati

Zambia won't be pushed into signing EPAs - Mutati
By Kabanda Chulu
Tuesday August 28, 2007 [04:00]

COMMERCE minister Felix Mutati yesterday said Zambia would not be pushed into signing Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) because various issues have not been addressed. Commenting on the progress of the ongoing EPA negotiations with the European Union (EU), Mutati said the government was conscious that some previous commitments by the EU had not been fulfilled.

"We are very clear about what we want and issues of market access and addressing supply side constraints are important to us especially that our products cannot compete effectively with theirs (EU) under market reciprocity and free trade arrangements," Mutati said. "And because we have not addressed key issues that will help to create a level playing field, Zambia will not be pushed into signing the EPAs because we should not hurry when aspects that will benefit us are not in place."
However, Mutati expressed optimism that amicable solutions could still be found before the December 2007 deadline of the EPA negotiations.

"Under the Eastern and Southern Africa (ESA) configuration, which Zambia belongs to, we will next month meet EU trade Commissioner Peter Mendelson in Tanzania to outline and put our position clear to them, it is true that the deadline is fast approaching but key issues have to be in place before we sign the EPAs and we are hopeful that agreeable solutions will be found to accommodate the divergent views," said Mutati.

And during a workshop on EPAs for Zambian parliamentarians held on Sunday, Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa) assistant secretary general Sindiso Ngwenya said clear indications have emerged that EPA negotiations would not be completed by December this year.

Ngwenya said very little had been done despite remaining with three months before the deadline of the negotiations.

"Time is not on our side and there is so much yet to be done, therefore it is imperative that we consider a strategy for the final phase of the negotiations," said Ngwenya. "And I believe that is clear that even with the best of efforts and will, we cannot expect complete all the negotiations by December 2007 because some issues will need to be finalized well beyond the timeline, however, let us keep focused and put all our efforts together and not plan to fail."

Labels: EPAs

posted by MrK @ 3:10 AM