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Africa

Africa sets terms for granting EU full market access
29-Sep-2009 Business Daily
Africa is asking its team of trade negotiators working on the Economic Partnership Agreement to focus on economic development before deciding on opening up markets to the European Union.
Wanted: A stable but fair EU deal
28-Aug-2009
The failure by the European Union on the one hand and African, Caribbean and Pacific nations on the other to conclude their Economic Partnership Agreements by July 31 this year, the agreed deadline, does not augur well for trade between the two sides.
Investors rush for Africa
14-Jul-2009 New Era
New Era talked to four Members of the European Parliament regarding Europe’s position on the ongoing scramble for Africa’s riches.
’EU plans to capture African market’
10-Jul-2009 AllAfrica.com
The European Union does not have an offensive commercial interest in the Economic Partnership Agreement. Rather, it is part of its strategic plan and policy to capture the African market, the Special Adviser to the President of NEPAD has said.
Deny neoliberal consensus
26-Jun-2009 IPS
Right now, the EU’s EPAs are devastating Africa’s regional economic blocs through divide-and-conquer, reversing the resistance we saw from African countries a year ago.
Angola, United States sign Trade and Investment Framework Agreement
21-May-2009 AllAfrica.com
On 19 May, US Trade Representative Ronald Kirk and Angola Minister of External Affairs Assunção Afonso de Sousa dos Anjos signed a Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) that will provide a forum to address trade issues and help enhance trade and investment relations between the United States and Angola.
’Food colonialism’ increasing hunger in Africa
6-May-2009 Modern Ghana
The European Union is coercing some West African governments into allowing European-based fishing companies to deplete West Africa’s fishing stocks in a new "food colonialism" that is now taking place between rich and poor countries around the world, according to British author George Monbiot.
EU Commission Manufactured African Business Support for EPAs
23-Mar-2009 CEO
Internal email communication by DG Trade obtained by Corporate Europe Observatory (CEO) unveils how the EU Commission has actively orchestrated African business support for its Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) with the countries from Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific. MEPs will vote on the EPA negotiations at their sitting in Strasbourg today and tomorrow.
South Centre cautions African countries when approaching Economic Partnership Agreements
19-Feb-2009 South Centre
The value of the preferences African countries will reap from an EPA will essentially become nil in about 5 to 10 years.
‘EPA accord with EU’ll stifle Nigeria’s growth’
18-Feb-2009 This Day
Switzerland-based intergovernmental organisation, South Centre, has warned Nigeria and other African nations that the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) being proposed by the European Union (EU) will eliminate the capacity of African nations to industrialise within five to 10 years of signing the agreement.
Undercutting Africa
3-Feb-2009 TNI
Why EPAs threaten the world’s forests and forest peoples
Knowing Your Trade Blocs From Your Trade Blocks
2-Dec-2008
On a daily basis we are exposed to a myriad of acronyms. A large number of these refer to some form of regional economic integration such as CMA, COMESA, FTA, IDZ, SACU and SADC, to name a few.
IGAD set to become free trade area in 2009 - Chief
30-Nov-2008
The seven-member regional Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) is set to become a free trade area.
Free trade by any other name
30-Nov-2008
As the December 2007 deadline was approaching, the European Commission realised that it would not get what it badly wanted: to close a deal with all African regions on the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) - basically free-trade pacts.
The trouble with our Africa trade negotiators
26-Nov-2008 Business Daily Africa
Agricultural and development economies in Sub-Saharan Africa are the flavour of the month. The global credit crisis, wide-scale economic meltdown and financial recession have sparked a wave of interest about the implications for Africa. It is crucial that this discussion happens.
Africa FTA talks lined up
18-Nov-2008 Gulf Daily News
The prospect of Free Trade Agreements (FTA) between the Gulf and African countries will be discussed at a major conference in Bahrain next month. Hundreds of government officials, bankers and investors are expected to attend.
Africans Should Confront ’’Blind Governments’’ on EPAs
11-Nov-2008
African governments came under fire for ‘‘blindly’’ negotiating the controversial economic partnership agreements (EPAs) and not making an effort to educate ‘‘ordinary people’’ on what they were negotiating.
Mandelson’s trade legacy puts forests and livelihoods at risk - new report
8-Nov-2008
African countries will be locked into an economic model based on the export of raw materials that could have a devastating impact on forests and wildlife, if new EU trade deals shaped by former trade commissioner Peter Mandelson are signed - according to a new report published by Friends of the Earth today (Monday 20 October 2008).
African experts endorse African template for EPAs
10-Oct-2008
African experts on Friday ended a continental forum on Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) between European and African countries with the endorsement of proposals towards an African template for EPA negotiations.
OATUU opposes EPA
9-Oct-2008 AllAfrica.com
The Organisation of African Trade Unions Unity (OATUU) has joined in the crusade against the signing of the EPA, stating several claims which it believed would cripple the economies of member countries, if they go ahead to sign the agreement.