Financial support for EPA

WINDHOEK – The European Union and SADC signed a financing agreement in Gaborone last week, which will ensure that the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) negotiations are backed by financial resources.

Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, Swaziland and Tanzania are some of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries that have been involved in negotiations, which were initiated in July 2004 in Namibia, to discuss an EPA that will replace the Cotonou Agreement, which expires in 2008. According to the Botswana Daily News, negotiations should be finalised in 2007 and the money will support the implementation of the agreement.”Funding will run for four-and-a-half years and will strengthen the capacities of the SADC Secretariat and member states during negotiations.SADC countries are in need of both financial help and technical expertise,” it noted.The EPA support facility is intended to help negotiating countries to develop human capacity, increase potential for production and develop new trading opportunities and increase trade, especially in regional markets.The EPA negotiations will ensure that the trading arrangements of the African, Caribbean and Pacific countries uphold the rules of the World Trade Organisation.-NampaAccording to the Botswana Daily News, negotiations should be finalised in 2007 and the money will support the implementation of the agreement.”Funding will run for four-and-a-half years and will strengthen the capacities of the SADC Secretariat and member states during negotiations.SADC countries are in need of both financial help and technical expertise,” it noted.The EPA support facility is intended to help negotiating countries to develop human capacity, increase potential for production and develop new trading opportunities and increase trade, especially in regional markets.The EPA negotiations will ensure that the trading arrangements of the African, Caribbean and Pacific countries uphold the rules of the World Trade Organisation.-Nampa