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Africa

Will the trade-off be worth it?
8-May-2007
On the surface, the European Commission’s argument on how it sees economic partnership agreements with developing countries in the African, Caribbean and Pacific regions playing out, is compelling.
EU concessions to African farmers suspect
29-Apr-2007
The recent trade concessions by the European Union to African, Caribbean and Pacific countries mean little in real terms, says an international non-governmental organisation.
Africa must be careful in its trade pacts with Europeans
11-Apr-2007
The European Union celebrated its 50th birthday on March 25, since the signing of the founding Rome treaty, a pact originally comprising six Western European nations. France, West Germany, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg sealed an economic co-operation that was meant to avoid future wars.
Produce growers form new network
27-Mar-2007
A regional network for horticultural associations will be launched in Nairobi this week. The network is part of the efforts being made in the region to ensure that the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) meant to replace the current trading regime with the European Union are signed by December.
Extend deadline on partnership pact
16-Mar-2007
Civil society groups and other stakeholders in West Africa’s development process have unanimously called on the European Union to extend the deadline for reaching a deal on Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs).
Light shed on EP Agreements
5-Mar-2007
Issues on the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) between the EU and African-Caribbean-Pacific States were discussed on Wednesday at a one-day seminar held at the Kairaba Beach Hotel.
Grassroots organizing, regional trade agreements and food sovereignty in Africa
19-Feb-2007 Grassroots Journal
Grassroots movements have made great strides towards putting the power of the food system in citizens’ hands, but ongoing bi-lateral and regional trade negotiations threaten to curtail these advances.
Africa: Continent asks for more time in EU trade talks
14-Feb-2007 AllAfrica.com
African countries have asked the European Union (EU) to extend the on-going Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) talks by another one year.
Triangular cooperation Mauritius-India-Africa: The Mauritian perspective
11-Jan-2007 L’Express
The Comprehensive Economic Cooperation and Partnership Agreement (CECPA) was yet again the focal point of discussions between Mauritian International Trade Minister Madun Dulloo and his Indian counterpart Kamal Nath last week in Delhi. CECPA, whilst being a powerful bilateral instrument to enhance trade and economic ties between our two countries, is also an inventive collaborative effort which will ultimately make of Mauritius the ideal step-stone on the India to Africa economic route.
Forward with the struggle to stop the EPAs
11-Jan-2007 Third World Network Africa
From 11-14 December 2006, the 9th Annual Review Meeting of the Africa Trade Network took place in Accra, Ghana. This is the final declaration that came out of the meeting.
Gender review of the Economic Partnership Agreements
21-Dec-2006 IGTN
Paper presented to the European Commission in Brussels by Liepollo Lebohang Pheko from IGTN-Africa on the gender impacts of liberalization of Economic Partnership Agreements (EPA).
China’s grand plans for Africa a two-way trade
6-Dec-2006 AllAfrica.com
Trade with China is likely to become an increasingly politically sensitive issue for a number of countries on the continent. That is because China is essentially buying the continent’s oil and minerals and selling back manufactured goods, a type of relationship redolent of a colonial one and similar to most of Africa’s existing trade relations with Europe and the US.
Unequal partners
21-Nov-2006 Oxfam New Zealand
This paper by Claire Godfrey provides a wide-ranging look at the many problems with the EPAs, and investigates how these could impact on the African, Caribbean and Pacific countries’ future development.
China, Africa set up new partnership, sign trade deals
6-Nov-2006 AFP
China and Africa have signed trade deals worth 1.9 billion dollars on the final day of a historic summit that saw the Asian giant deepen economic and political ties with the resource-rich continent.
Overview of bilateral free trade and investment agreements
13-Oct-2006
A general overview of free trade agreements and bilateral investment treaties that have been signed or are being negotiated all over the world. Organised by region, it provides a snapshot of the many processes currently under way, some of the controversies they raise and opposition movements against these agreements.
Africa: Trade still prime engine for prosperity in Africa, official says
13-Oct-2006 AllAfrica.com
The United States is doubling the number of its trade and investment framework agreements (TIFAs) in Africa.
Aid groups say African trade deals deepen poverty
26-Sep-2006
African countries risk sinking further into poverty if the European Union pushes ahead with new free trade deals that could harm local industry and farming by unfair competition, non-governmental aid groups said on Tuesday.
African trade links on upsurge
26-Sep-2006
A striking increase in trade and investment between China, India and Africa holds great potential for growth and job creation in the poverty-stricken sub-Sahara, a World Bank study released on Sunday said.
SOMO Briefing Paper: EPA negotiations do not promote the right investment policies in Africa
26-Sep-2006
The EU strongly advocates that attracting more foreign investment is a solution to African development problems and that African countries therefore need to include strict investment liberalisation measures in EPAs.
SOMO Briefing Paper: The risks and dangers of liberalisation of services in Africa under EPAs
26-Sep-2006
The European Union (EU) is negotiating with African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries for a new free trade agreement: the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs). The liberalisation of services and therefore opening the market for foreign investors is part of these negotiations.