One of the issues in those negotiations also known as “July Package” has been the elimination of subsidies on key agricultural products exported by both developing and developed countries. Due to its deep impact on the international trade, the Doha Development Agenda is dealt with as a matter of priority, since it can help developing countries to meet the Millennium Development Goals.

In July 2004, negotiations between European Union and some of the Southern African countries were launched. In this regard, different players are trying to ensure that the outcomes of these negotiations are beneficial to Africa. Towards this end, Southern African countries constituted a negotiating configuration and designated Botswana’s Minister of Trade and Industry to lead the negotiations for SADC Ministerial level.

In association with the Economic Commission for Africa, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, the African Development Bank and Southern African Development Community, the United Nations Development Programme started giving support to African countries on trade issues in order to them to get tangible benefits from the Economic Partnership Agreements negotiations.

In this regard, Mozambique will be hosting a three-day workshop on Economic Partnership Agreements in Maputo from 4 to 6 April 2005.

The workshop objective is to bring together SADC countries officials, as well as experts from selected institutions to:

a) undertake a comprehensive evaluation of the outcome and implications of the “July Package” for African countries;

b) assist countries in the region to develop and refine their strategies for further negotiations under the Doha Development Agenda;

c) identify key areas of importance to African countries in the various modalities to be negotiated, particularly for agriculture and non-agricultural market access and any other areas;

d) undertake a comprehensive evaluation of the outcome and implications of Economic Partnership Agreements negotiations for SADC countries;

e) determine the possible implications of Economic Partnership Agreements on the regional integration initiatives in the continent.

The presences of His Excellency the Mozambican Minister of Industry and Trade, Mr. António Fernando, and the UNDP Resident Representative, Ms. Marylène Spezzati, will honour the openening ceremony of this technical meeting.

As part of the UNDP Trade Capacity Building for Poverty Reduction and Human Development for Sub-Saharan Africa, UNDP is planning to organize, in association with its partners, three sub-regional meetings with the regional economic communities (RECs). Later in the year, it is also planning to organize a continental meeting to help the African countries to develop common views and positions in these negotiations.

The Trade Capacity Development Project, whose implementation period is from August 2004 to December 2006, has been formulated under UNDP’s Second Regional Cooperation Framework for Africa in response to the need to enhance Africa’s participation in global trade in goods and services. Expanding Africa’s share in global trade is also crucial the to attainment of the Millennium Development Goals by African countries.

For more information, please contact

Domingos Mazivila, UNDP Economist

Mobile phone: +258 82 4877240

Office + 258 01 481 453

E-mail: domingos.mazivila@undp.org

Nelson Xavier, UNDP Public Information Officer

Mobile phone: + 258 82 314060

Office + 258 01 481438

E-mail: nelson.xavier@undp.org

UNDP is the UN’s global development network, advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. We are on the ground in 166 countries, working with them on their own solutions to global and national development challenges. As they develop local capacity, they draw on the people of UNDP and our wide range of partners.