Symposium on WTO Trade Facilitation for African Countries AUs Action Plan for Fast Tracking the CFTA...
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Transcript of Symposium on WTO Trade Facilitation for African Countries AUs Action Plan for Fast Tracking the CFTA...
Symposium on WTO Trade Facilitation for African Countries
AU’s Action Plan for Fast Tracking the CFTA
Nairobi, Kenya
November 13-15, 2012
Outline
• Current Position• Summit Decision • Action Plan on Boosting Intra-African Trade • Organogram of the Road Map • Architecture of the CFTA • High Level African Trade Committee • Customs Technical Committee• Trade Facilitation within the Continent
Current Position • Africa remains at 2.7 % of global trade • WTO, AGOA & EPA • Intra- African trade 12.3%. Europe-Over 63%;• Major trading Partners- Europe and USA • Asia - China becoming more important;• informal trade is significant • 46% of intra African trade are manufactures • Poor infrastructure, Trade facilitation • Low industrial base, trade information, etc
Summit Decision 2012 Assembly Decision AU/Dec.394 (XVIII)•Establish a Pan Africa Continental Free Trade Area (CFTA) by an indicative date of 2017•Endorsed Action Plan for Boosting Intra-African Trade
Addresses the fundamental issues , PIDA, AIDA, MIP Endorsed the Framework, Road Map and Architecture
Negotiations, Governance , M&E Market Integration
• Develop a framework for conclusion of a draft agreement on Rules of Origin by December 2012
• Calls on Partners to support implementation of; the Action Plan on Boosting Intra African Trade the Establishment of the CFTA
Action Plan on Boosting Intra African Trade
Seven Clusters of the Action Plan 1.Trade Policy 2.Trade Facilitation 3.Productive Capacity 4.Trade Related Infrastructure 5.Trade Finance 6.Trade Information 7.Factor Market Integration Time Frames - ST,MT,LT
Organogram of the Road Map
Organogram of the Road Map• TFTA by 2014• Similar Process to
the tripartite (N-W-C)
• Join the tripartite • Other MS outside
FTAs to Join • CFTA Neg 2015-16• Acquis –Reg FTA
– No roll backs
Architecture For The CFTA
CTC
African Trade Forum (ATF)
• Serve as Pan-African platform for reflection & discussions on progress & challenges
• Organized annually jointly by AUC & UNECA• Participants are stakeholders in dvpt of intra-
African Trade (Ms; Recs; pvt sector; civil society; researchers; academia; dvp partners etc)
• Outcomes presented to Conf of AU Ministers of Trade
High -Level African Trade Committee (HATC)
• Chairpersons of RECS (Heads of State and Government)• Organ of the Assembly of Heads of State and Governments• role of champions – for the acceleration of the CFTA – enhancement of intra-African Trade.
• Platform for exchange of experiences and best practices as• Co-ordinating and harmonizing action towards the CFTA. • Overseeing the effective implementation of the Action
Plan• Meets every Summit– Review implementation – make recommendations to the Summit.
Customs Technical Committee (CTC)• Reports to & serve as the TC of the Conference of
AU Ministers of Trade - Customs matters & any other issues relating to facilitation of Intra-African Trade
• Composed of ;• National - Directors –General / Heads of
Customs Administrations AU MS• RECs/AUC - Directors/Heads of Customs
Departments/Divisions
Customs Technical Committee (CTC)
Functions •develop and submit proposals to the Conference of AU Ministers of Trade on issues such as
Rules of Origin , customs regulations and procedures, transit procedures, etc• implement the decisions of the policy organs of the
AU on the facilitation of intra-African trade.
Overview of Trade Facilitation
• A major factor in the low level of intra-African trade has been the numerous trade facilitation constraints.
• Removal of these constraints is critical to boosting trade among African countries.
• Reduction of all unnecessary roadblocks• Harmonization & simplifying customs & transit
procedures, documentation & regulations• Establishment & operationalization of OSBPs• Integrated Border Management
Thank You For Your Kind Attention