Economic Partnership Agreement Talks Should Benefit All

The Citizen (Dar es Salaam)

22 June 2011

editorial

Fresh negotiations on Economic Partnership Agreements (Epas) are due to start soon. Retired President Benjamin Mkapa has restated his warning over a deal between the European Union (EU) and the East African Community (EAC), calling upon the latter to espouse a more sensible approach to attain regional developmental goals.

Mr Mkapa has urged EAC member states to concentrate on strengthening the region’s Common Market as well as helping the bloc to tap into the largely unexploited African market instead of banking on Epas for the region’s development.

Much as we neither support nor oppose Mr Mkapa’s stand, we believe that his words should not be taken lightly. It is an undeniable fact that Mr Mkapa boasts vast experience on the development front that the EAC could benefit from.

However, the negotiations are desirable in that the region needs a comprehensive agreement to supersede the preferential trade arrangements between EAC and EU, which are largely viewed as violating the WTO’s Most Favoured Nation (MFN) provisions.

This means that the future of the EAC’s industries is now in the hands of the region’s negotiators, who are required to bargain the Epas with the region’s best interests in mind. This, however, does not mean that we would like to see the EU ending up as the “loser”.

It should not be lost on us that the EU knows exactly what it is doing, taking into consideration the technological and industrial disparities between the two sides.It is always a challenge to negotiate with your benefactor, and EAC member states should know this only too well because most of them still depend on the EU for substantial budgetary aid.

However, the EAC negotiators need to participate in the discussions with the EU as equal partners instead of regarding the latter with awe. This will in the long run benefit East Africa much as it will benefit the EU.

AllAfrica – All the Time