Trade is the best aid ...

. . . ist ein altbekannter EZ-Slogan, der in seinem strategischen Kern wohl richtig ist, aber sicherlich differenzierter betrachtet werden muss. Vor allem, wenn er als "Förderkonzept" herhalten soll. Dass aber die Fortschritte in diesem Bereich so zähflüssig sind, konterkariert viele unserer EZ-Anstrengungen und beinhaltet auch eine große Portion an politischer Unglaubwürdigkeit.
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West African Trade Union Decries EU Policies

This Day (Lagos), NEWS, January 20, 2006

By Eddy Odivwri, Bamako, Mali

The working group, representing West African Trade Union rose from its first session yesterday, condemning the trade policy between the European Union and the rest of the countries in the sub-region.

The condemnation was part of the review of the trade union activities at the on-going World Social Forum in Bamako, Mali.

The group said negotiations on the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) between EU countries and the African nations is likely to have adverse effect on the regional trade integration scheme, adding that the terms of the negotiations "have the tendency to allow the EPA negotiations to determine the pace, degree and rhythm of integration."

It decried a system of negotiation that is skewed essentially to favour the EU market, at the detriment of the regional market, to create an integrrated regional market for the purpose of trade which is largely in favour of EU and an international division of labour that assigns the West African countries to continued dependence on primary commodities.

The meeting seeks an integration scheme that will lead to "increased intra-regional trade and enhanced productivity for food security, rural livlihood, poverty reduction and industrialisation.

To strenghten its economic base, the group suggested the reinforcement of the powers of ECOWAS and UEMOA, to ensure that decisions taken at its sessions are effectively applied in the sub-region.

It also called for free and "proper movement of goods and persons within the region, and solicited for infrastructural integration in areas like energy, transport and communication.It submitted also that the etsblishment of a common external tarrif will facilitate the distribution of resources within the subregion that can ultimately promote the financing of the ECOWAP and the industrialisation scheme of the region.

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