Q&A: “Impose an Embargo on the EPA Talks”

Respected Ugandan political economist Yash Tandon has added his voice to the call for a moratorium on the negotiations between African countries and the European Union (EU) on the trade deals known as economic partnership agreements (EPAs).

TRADE-SOUTHERN AFRICA: “Reclaim Control over EPA Talks”

Southern African governments must regain control over the negotiations on the trade deals known as economic partnership agreements (EPAs). Issues earmarked as deal-breakers should be resolved before talks to a full EPA are continued. These include limiting the EPA to a goods-only agreement and the EU dropping its demand for reciprocity.

Q&A: EPAs Are Still Not Developmental, Despite EU Promises

The contentious trade deals known as the economic partnership agreements (EPAs) will in their current form not do African countries any good as they still do not take those countries’ development needs into consideration, despite such an undertaking by the European Union (EU).

TRADE: NGOs Welcome EU Vow Not to Push Africa into EPAs

Non-governmental organisations have expressed their satisfaction at the European Commission’s declaration that it would not put "undue pressure" on African and other countries to conclude the controversial trade deals called economic partnership agreements (EPAs).

AFRICA: "Why Surrender Market to Subsidised European Goods?"

"Why should we surrender ourselves to the invasion of highly subsidised European goods? What will be the impact of capital outflows because of strategic services such as telecommunication, port, energy and water services being liberalised and privatised in the interest of European companies?"

TRADE: ECOWAS Delay on EPA Allows Ghana to Re-Think

There are conflicting signals about whether west African countries will sign an economic partnership agreement (EPA) with the European Union, as the original deadline of Jun 30 has been postponed and stakeholders hold different views on the new deadline of end Oct. This may still allow Ghana to re-think its interim EPA.

ECONOMY-AFRICA: Deny Neoliberal Consensus

Africa should ‘‘deny consensus'' at multilateral level to ensure that the region's interests are taken seriously, says Professor Patrick Bond speaking on how Africa should approach this week's high-level United Nations' meeting on the global economic crisis.

Q&A: Regional Integration in Southern Africa Takes Another Step

Zimbabwe has just hosted the 13th Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) summit where a customs union among some of the region’s countries was launched. But will it improve regional trade and assist passage across borders for the member countries’ numerous women traders?

TRADE: EPA Signing Threatens Southern African Customs Union

Fears that accession to an economic partnership agreement (EPA) in Southern Africa will destroy regional integration seem to be coming true after Botswana, Lesotho and Swaziland (BLS) ignored a key provision of the Southern African Customs Union when they initialled their trade deal with the European Union last week.

TRADE: ‘‘You Can’t Smoke Cigars in Brussels and Bulldoze Us’’

Namibia will sign an economic partnership agreement (EPA) with the European Union (EU) when the outstanding contentious issues have been resolved through new wording in the texts of the interim EPA, says the country’s trade and industry minister Hage Geingob.

TRADE: COMESA on Track with Establishing Customs Union

Zimbabwe will finally host the 13th Common Market for Eastern and Southern African (COMESA) summit in the resort town of Victoria Falls in June where the regional grouping is expected to launch its customs union.

TRADE: Southern Africa Still Kicking Against Controversial EPA

High-level talks at a Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) meeting in Gaborone last week failed to produce an agreement on the signing of the interim economic partnership agreement (EPA) with the European Union.

ECONOMY: China in Africa – South-South Exploitation?

It is a Sunday around five o’ clock in the afternoon when carpenter Thomas Haimbodi knocks off work. He is waiting for the lorry that will take him and his colleagues from the building site – the office building for the new ministry of lands and resettlement in Windhoek – to Katutura, the township on the outskirts of the Namibian capital.

Q&A: More Investment in Production Won’t Cure African Food Crisis

The food crisis in African states will not be solved by investment to spur agricultural production because the problem is not food output but poverty that is making food unaffordable for urban Africans.

TRADE: EC Manufactured Bogus ‘African Business’ Support for EPAs

The exposure of the European Commission's (EC) manufacturing of African business support for the contentious economic partnership agreements (EPAs) has so far elicited little action by members of the European Parliament.

TRADE: ‘‘EPAs Will Prevent African States From Achieving MDGs’’

The economic partnerships agreements (EPAs) will push African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries ''deeper'' into poverty and negatively affect the livelihoods of people living in ACP countries. These trade deals ''will prevent'' African countries from achieving the United Nations’ millennium development goals (MDGs).

TRADE-AFRICA: EPAs Negotiations Trudging Along Slowly

Talks between African countries and the European Union (EU) on the economic partnership agreements (EPAs) have stalled over a series of contentious issues that several countries want negotiated before they will sign full EPAs.

TRADE: EC Urges SADC on About EPA as ‘‘Time Is Not on Our Side’’

Southern African countries remain mum on the interim economic partnership agreement (EPA), despite a letter from European Commission (EC) trade commissioner Catherine Ashton urging them to sign.

CARIBBEAN: Region Cautious on Free Trade with Canada

Two years ago, newly elected Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper acknowledged his country’s neglect of the Caribbean in recent years.

TRADE: EU Forges Ahead With EPAs Despite Global Crisis

Experts agree the current financial crisis is largely due to economic deregulation. But despite the downturn’s dramatic effects on developing countries, the European Union (EU) is still pushing for the trade liberalisation deals called economic partnership agreements (EPAs) to be signed by African governments.

TRADE: Southern Africa Buckling Before EU Pressure to Sign EPA?

While South Africa plays for time, the signing of a finalised economic partnership agreement (EPA) between the European Union (EU) and the southern African countries seems imminent - despite regional trade fragmentation remaining a danger.