News
tralac’s Daily News Selection
The selection: Friday, 22 April 2016
Concluding today, in Gaborone: the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly regional meeting. Access the presentations: Boitumelo Sebonego (SADC), Elizabeth Warn (IOM, Pretoria), Timothy Simalenga (CCARDESA)
Related: the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly, 31st Session, will take place in Windhoek, 13-15 June.
In Addis, a 'Fridays of the Commission' debate, 13 May: Drivers and constraints to regional integration in Africa (African Union)
Regional organisations play important roles in regional integration in Africa. Yet, there remains a major gap between the ambitious commitments or aspirations and the implementation on the ground. Hence the call to look more carefully into what drives – or constrains – regional integration on the continent and to explore feasible ways to carry the regional integration agenda forward. The meeting of the Fridays of the Commission in Addis Ababa on 13 May 2016 will be dedicated to finding answers to such questions. The meeting comes at an appropriate time:
South Africa: Minister Ebrahim Patel's Economic Development Dept budget vote (GCIS)
I want to focus today on four key elements of our economic strategy, namely competition policy, trade, industrial funding and infrastructure, because our joint efforts in these areas, when they are successful, resonate powerfully with South Africans who are our partners to create jobs in the economy. And they help to achieve the goals set out in the NDP. This morning, I issued a Trade Directive, published today in the Government Gazette that requires ITAC to consider the commitments companies make on investment, jobs and industrial output, when making its findings on tariff increases or rebates of duty. This is done to ensure that companies do not rely simply on tariff protection or rebates but invest heavily on new technologies, training of workers and product innovation to maintain and increase their market share. It is also to ensure that any costs to connected industries are at least accompanied by increases in jobs. This is an example of leveraging more in the society to ensure we achieve the goals of our trade legislation and our national policy objectives.
Nigeria, Kenya and Ethiopia could rival SA’s motor industry (Business Day)
Harmonised regional trade policies and comprehensive national investment strategies could create at least three rivals to SA’s domination of the vehicle-manufacturing industry in sub-Saharan Africa, says a new report. The report, Navigating the African automotive sector, published on Thursday by Deloitte, says Nigeria, Kenya and Ethiopia have the potential to take advantage of a new-vehicle market that some analysts think could grow by nearly 550% in the next 15 years.
Mozambique seeks investments from South Africa (Nacauhub)
The minister, who was speaking at a seminar sponsored by the Mozambican embassy in South Africa, acknowledged that Mozambique faces enormous challenges due to a lack of infrastructure in the transport and communications sector but considered these challenges as “opportunities for investors.” In the next few days Mozambique and South Africa are due to sign a memorandum of understanding for the transport and communications sector.
Why ECOWAS economic integration is failing – NANTS (Daily Trust)
The weak understanding of regional framework, bribery and corruption, delays of transit goods and un-receipted charges are among the reasons why the ECOWAS trade and economic integration protocols fail years after their enactment and adoption, the National Association of Nigerian Traders (NANTS) has said. Secretariat President of the association Barrister Kenneth Ukaoha said this Thursday in Abuja at a two-day Public-Private Sector Dialogue on strengthening Nigeria’s trade support institution themed 'Nigeria/ECOWAS trade and integration process', organised by NANTS, the EU, GIZ and other Nigerian stakeholders. [Ghana cannot sign EPA alone - trade expert (GhanaWeb)]
Regional Ministers adopt plan of action for Dakar-Abidjan Corridor Development
ECOWAS Civil Society Organisations Platform on Transparency and Accountability in Governance: launched in Abuja, ECOWAS media release
Zimbabwe: For or against import restrictions? (Financial Gazette)
As the trade deficit continues to widen, Zimbabwe has retreated to the age-old debate: to ban or not to restrict imports. On the one hand, are those prodding government to protect domestic industries from foreign competition as way of giving them the breathing space needed to recover from nearly two decades of economic turmoil. A section of traders who are making money from imported goods is obviously baying for a free market system in which the State should leave everything to market forces. Consumers, attracted to the relatively lower prices of imported products, are throwing their weight behind the latter. Naturally, economists are torn between the two arguments. [Related, from the Financial Gazette: Shoppers rush to Botswana despite duty surge, 'Panic in government as Chinese loot Zim economy']
The EU’s trade with emerging markets: climbing the value-added chain and growing IP intensity? (ECIPE)
Trade in the EU’s major patent-intensive sectors – chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and motor vehicles – has generally evolved in a positive fashion in the period studied. However, recent years have witnessed a deterioration of EU exports in these sectors. In many instances, these deteriorations are not the result of the EU’s industrial mix. The under-performance in EU exports can be ascribed to local factors that artificially depress EU corporate competitiveness in those markets. In countries like Brazil, India and South Africa, these factors tend to be very strong and show a clear upward potential for the EU in improving the gains it can reap from trade in patent-intensive sectors. As a consequence, EU trade policy should focus on those sectors that show a strong potential export and import performance, but where other factors than economic competitiveness have caused trade under-performance in the past. [The authors: Matthias Bauer, Fredrik Erixon]
MEPs speak out against GMOs in ‘New Alliance’ food strategy for Africa (EurActiv)
A large majority in the European Parliament’s Development committee adopted a resolution on Wednesday, calling on the EU to “tackle all the weaknesses of the NAFSN, […] in order to ensure that [its] actions are compatible with the development policy objectives”. In its draft version, the text even directly advised European countries to “withdraw its support to NAFSN as long as the deficiencies outlined […] are not duly addressed”.
Ed Brown, Zivayi Chiguvare: 'EU-Africa research cooperation to improve energy access in Africa' (The Herald)
Angel Gurría, Thabo Mbeki: joint statement on the fight against illicit financial flows (OECD)
We resolve to ensure that African countries can fully benefit from the ongoing international efforts at improving tax transparency and call upon all African countries to join these efforts. We acknowledge the important role played by the work of the Global Forum on Transparency and Exchange of Information in bringing about financial transparency in tax matters. We encourage all African countries to participate in this work on an equal footing, and to join almost 100 other jurisdictions in signing the Multilateral Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters. In addition, we recognise the importance for all countries to tackle Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS) and welcome the opening up of the BEPS project to all interested countries. [Related: BEPS, CbC reporting and national statistics - presentation to OECD's Working Party on International Trade in Goods and Trade in Services Statistics]
Thomas Farole: 'Jobs and economic transformation for IDA countries' (World Bank Blogs)
So, how do we move to better and more inclusive jobs (not to mention more of them) in IDA countries? The answer is far from simple. But one thing that is certain is that it needs to involve a process of economic transformation. As shown in Figure 2, the vast majority of jobs in IDA countries are in agriculture – mainly very small scale farming. Increasing earnings (‘better jobs’) starts with raising productivity in agriculture, a process which will eventually release workers into higher value added activities.
Implementing the Sustainable Development Goals: UNGA debate
Christine Kalamwina (Zambia), speaking on behalf of the Group of Landlocked Developing Countries, said the Goals and the Addis Agenda were complementary to the Vienna Programme of Action for Landlocked Developing Countries for the Decade 2014-2024. Landlocked developing countries needed to realize the priorities set out in the Vienna Programme of Action in order to achieve the Goals. With the global development agenda in place, she said, implementation was the catchword of the day. She identified a number of key areas requiring attention so that no one was left behind, such as national level mainstreaming, which would help avert duplication. It was also important for international organizations, the United Nations system, and regional and subregional groups to mainstream the Vienna Programme of Action into their work, thus providing landlocked developing countries with customized support, as well as increased financial and technical assistance. [ECOSOC adopts text affirming commitment to Addis Ababa Action Agenda on Financing for Development]
Why Africa needs green bonds (Africa Economic Brief, AfDB)
In the last four years, about US$2.5bn has been mobilized for development in Africa through the issuance of green bonds. This makes it a parallel option for financing developments in climate change mitigation and adaptation. The mechanism for green bonds which is increasingly incorporating standardization, transparency monitoring and reporting with the participation of responsibility minded investors also makes it attractive for Africa.
Leaders set landmark global goals for pricing carbon pollution (IMF)
Six heads of state and government, two city and state leaders, and the heads of the World Bank Group, the International Monetary Fund and the OECD today agreed on an ambitious global target for putting a price on carbon pollution. The leaders, who are all members of the Carbon Pricing Panel, convened by World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim and IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde, challenged the world to expand carbon pricing to cover 25% of global emissions by 2020 – double the current level – and to achieve 50% coverage within the next decade. [Vision statement by the Carbon Pricing Panel]
Ghana's National Trade Facilitation Committee: update (UNCTAD)
SA government officials receive Special Economic Zone training in China (GCIS)
Bill will give firms operating across SA’s borders access to justice services (Business Day)
South Africa: Trade and Industry Committee welcomes INVESTSA initiative
Three African Presidents appointed to High Level Panel on Water
IGAD to mobilize resources for a regional cancer centre
Skilled Rwandans urged to exploit job opportunities presented by EAC bloc (New Times)
EU importers calls for free trade deal with China (EurActiv)
Kenneth Rogoff: Anti-trade America? (Business Standard)
tralac’s Daily News archive
Catch up on tralac’s daily news selections by following this link ».
SUBSCRIBE
To receive the link to tralac’s Daily News Selection via email, click here to subscribe.
This post has been sourced on behalf of tralac and disseminated to enhance trade policy knowledge and debate. It is distributed to over 350 recipients across Africa and internationally, serving in the AU, RECS, national government trade departments and research and development agencies. Your feedback is most welcome. Any suggestions that our recipients might have of items for inclusion are most welcome.
