Maravi

Sichinga urges govt to develop knowledgeable trade negotiators

Sichinga urges govt to develop knowledgeable trade negotiators
Written by Kabanda Chulu
Tuesday, November 11, 2008 7:12:22 AM

GOVERNMENT should develop a cadre of knowledgeable and efficient negotiators for the country to get meaningful benefits from trade agreements, Innovative Consulting and Financial Services director Bob Sichinga has said.

Presenting a paper during the capacity building workshop for the media on trade and development hosted by CUTS and Caritas Zambia in Lusaka, Sichinga also urged the government to put in place a trade policy to guide the country when signing trade agreements.

He said there was need for a dedicated team to be assembled and positioned within government.

“Zambia needs to develop a cadre of knowledgeable and well-networked negotiators. In fact, there is need for a dedicated team to be assembled and positioned in appropriate positions within government so that the country can get meaningful benefits from trade agreements,” Sichinga said. “We lack knowledge and this results in our inability to get what is good for the country because we normally negotiate from an ignorant point of view. For instance, when going for trade or any missions abroad, ruling party cadres always accompany the Head of State or minister at the expense of qualified and efficient negotiators.”

He also bemoaned the poor consultation that normally occurs whenever Zambia signs a trade agreement.

“The need for regular and comprehensive consultation with Civil Society and with Private Sector stakeholders is critical to adequately capture industries and Private Sector as well as citizen concerns and challenges but this is not happening and we just hear that this agreement has been signed,” Sichinga said.

He said globalisation of the world economy was a reality at the moment.

“Accordingly, Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) are increasingly becoming a simultaneous fact of any trade or economic relationship and Zambia therefore, needs to develop a comprehensive and sound trade policy framework, not drafts, to form basis of its agreements,” said Sichinga. “Hence, Zambia needs to ensure self interest as well as regional interest for neighbouring countries who form part of the regional block and this calls for the need to put a development agenda to deliberately recognise land-linked/land locked situation of Zambia.”

Labels: CUTS, ROBERT SICHINGA

posted by MrK @ 7:13 AM