The contentious trade talks have hardly moved forward since African nations initialled deals under pressure in 2007, despite concerns over the impact they could have on their economies, development prospects, and efforts to reduce poverty.
However in recent months the European Commission has been ratcheting up the pressure, repeating old threats that preferential access to the EU market would be withdrawn if EPAs were not concluded, a situation that would be disastrous for some of Kenya’s export sectors, such as flowers.
The EPA deal would require the East African countries- Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi- to open up 82% of their economies. Negotiators from the East African Community maintain that the region will struggle in the face of highly competitive European goods entering their markets once a deal goes ahead. They fear that such dramatic liberalisation could kill local infant industries, consigning a large number of their citizens to joblessness and poverty.
Such fears echo the long-standing concerns of East African civil society groups that Traidcraft has been campaigning with against EPAs. Traidcraft’s Trade Policy Advisor, Sophie Powell says:
"The EU has once again resorted to threatening East Africa with new trade tariffs if they do not sign and vague promises of aid if they do. What’s needed is a strong turnaround in the EU’s approach to these agreements – not more bully-boy tactics.”
Based on an article by George Omondi
8 March 2010
Business Daily Nairobi
