HIGH-LEVEL WORKSHOP ON KEY ISSUES OF INTEREST FOR AFRICAN COUNTRIES
IN THE NEGOTIATIONS ON MARKET ACCESS FOR AGRICULTURAL AND NONAGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS IN THE RUN UP TO THE SIXTH WTO MINISTERIAL
CONFERENCE
29 June - 1 July 2005, Nairobi, Kenya
Organized by:
United Nations Conference for Trade and Development (UNCTAD
Supported by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Regional Bureau for Africa
Background
UNCTAD, under the Trade Capacity Development for sub-Saharan Africa Programme,
financed by UNDP, will be organizing a technical workshop on NAMA and agriculture
negotiations at the WTO. The programme aims to contribute to the beneficial
integration of African countries into the international trading system in order to
ensure that international trade serves effectively as an engine of growth, poverty
reduction and human development consistent with the MDGs. The collaborating
agencies in the programme include: African Union (AU), Economic Commission for
Africa (ECA), Third World Network (TWN) Africa, African Economic Research
Consortium (AERC) and Southern and Eastern African Trade Information and
Negotiations Institute (SEATINI).
Context
The work carried out under the July 2004 package is expected to result in
"approximations" of modalities by July 2005, setting the basis for decisions on full
modalities by the time of the 6th WTO Ministerial Conference in Hong Kong SAR. The
technical workshop on agriculture and NAMA would contribute to assisting African
countries in further strengthening their participation in the negotiations leading to
the "approximations" and the subsequent work for Hong Kong.
Agriculture is central to the Doha negotiations and is particularly relevant to the
development and poverty reduction in the overwhelming majority of African
countries. Genuine agricultural reform and liberalization would provide a level playing
field and bring gains. At the same time, specific concerns of African countries in
terms of food security, rural development, trade preferences etc., have to be
factored into the negotiations.
Implementing concretely the commitment to address cotton issues ambitiously,
expeditiously, and specifically is critical.
On non-agricultural market access (NAMA), further work is required on the
specifics of some of the elements contained in the NAMA framework, including the
formula, the issues concerning the treatment of unbound tariffs, the flexibilities for
developing countries, the issue of participation in the sectoral tariff component and
the preferences. African countries have both a defensive and offensive interest in the
NAMA negotiations. On the defensive side, tariffs remain a key policy instrument for
development and many African countries maintain high tariffs and low bindings. On
the offensive side, several African countries are engaging in manufacture trade and
NAMA represents an opportunity for pursuing a further liberalization of their key
markets.
Market access alone will not suffice in achieving improved market access conditions.
Other market entry barriers will continue to impede access and these need to be
addressed, including non-tariff barriers (NTBs).
Objective
The objective of the workshop is to bring together African trade policy makers,
negotiators and other stakeholders to discuss issues of interest for African countries
in the agriculture and NAMA negotiations at the WTO so as to:
1. Identify the main issues to be considered by African countries in the
agriculture and NAMA negotiations.
2. Examine the elements for the modalities for agriculture and NAMA
negotiations, and address the issue of cotton.
3. Consider the development implications of the negotiations and the way
forward for African countries.
Venue
The workshop will be held at:
Grand Regency Hotel
P.O. Box 57549,00200
NAIROBI
Tel: 254 + 20+ 211199
Fax: 254 + 20 + 212494
Financial conditions
UNDP will provide for each participant a return air ticket at the standard conditions of
the United Nations and daily subsistence allowance at the applicable rate of the UN
in Nairobi for 3 days.
Other collaborating agencies may wish to invite and fund additional participants.
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29 June 2005
09:00-10:00 Item 1: Registration and Opening
Participants in the Workshop will register at the registration desk and receive
meeting documentation.
The opening of the Workshop will be officiated by UNCTAD, UNDP, AU and the
representative of the Government of Kenya
10:00-12:30 Item 2: State of progress in the Doha negotiations
This session will conduct a general review of the general status of negotiations
subsequent to the July package, and implications for Africa's development prospects.
Presentations by UNCTAD
Discussions
12:30-14:00
Lunch break
14:00-17:00 Item 3: Main issues of interest for African countries in the
agriculture negotiations and cotton
- Analysis and implications of the July package
- The modalities, framework, and review of the agriculture negotiations
- State of play on cotton in context of agriculture negotiations
Discussion on the agriculture-negotiating framework at the WTO and their
importance in improving the negotiating environment to bring on board the issues of
interests for African countries.
Presentations by African Group Focal Point on Agriculture and UNCTAD
Discussion
17:30-20:00
Cocktail
30 June 2005
10:00-12:30 Item 3 (continued): Identification of the way forward for
African countries in the agriculture negotiations and cotton
Panel discussion on key issues for the July approximation and for the Hong Kong
Ministerial Conference.
12:30-14:00
Lunch break
14:00-17:00 Item 4: Areas of interest for African countries in the NAMA
negotiations
- Review of the main elements of the NAMA negotiations (scope of the Doha
mandate on NAMA, the July Package and the latest NAMA proposals)
- Draft Elements of Modalities for Negotiations and Current state of play of NAMA
- The importance of NAMA for Development: The Economics Behind it
- Non-tariff measures
An analysis of the issues of interest in the NAMA negotiations for African countries
will be reviewed and discussed to identify the options available for them in
negotiating modalities for the negotiations and means of ensuring that African
countries are not adversely affected by the modalities adopted. Also examine
adjustment cost of NAMA negotiations (I,e the economics of NAMA negotiations).
Look at the key non-tariff barriers.
Presentations by African Group Focal Point on NAMA and UNCTAD
Discussions
1 July 2005
10:00-11:30 Item 4 continued: Identification of the way forward for
African countries in the NAMA negotiations
- Panel discussion on key issues for the July approximation and for the Hong Kong
Ministerial Conference.
11:30- 13:00 Item 5: Non-tariff barriers affecting market access of African
products
Presentations will be made by UNDP and ILEAP
Discussions
13:00-14:30
Lunch break
14:30-17:00 Item 6of the workshop
Discussion of conclusions and recommendations
Presentations by Chairs of sessions on agriculture and NAMA followed bv discussions.
18:00-18:15 Item 7:
Closure
UNCTAD and the host country will make concluding remarks and close the workshop.