The Echoes from AEFJN No. 30 - July August 2016 are now available online. 
Raw Materials Working Group News July 2013
- A note on the Tripartite Free Trade Area Negotiations
In early October, members of the Common Market for East and Southern Africa (COMESA), the East African Community (EAC), and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) have met in Uganda to discuss about tariff offers in a possible Free Trade Agreements among the countries, which belong to these regions. The negotiations are based under three pillars, market integration, industrial development, and infrastructure development. However, will these potential agreements allow a sustainable development for the economy of these countries or otherwise will cause imbalanced result to African Countries as the problems caused by the EPAs?
2. West African Civil Society Memorandum on the EPAs and Common External Tariff
The Civil Society of West African Countries has met in Dakar to prepare the Summit of Heads of State of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) regarding the so called "Economic Partnership Agreements" (EPAs), and the Common External Tariff (CET) of the ECOWAS region. They proposed a change of Trade policies and structural transformation oriented to the needs of West Africa rather than be dictated by imbalanced international treaties with the European Union.
3. Ghana’s stance on EPA
The Government of Ghana will decide in the coming days its stance on the European Union-Economic Partnership Agreement (EU- EPA). As other African countries, Ghana is assessing its participation onto the agreement. Many analysts consider that if Ghana accepts the EPA conditions the trade and development policy will be harmful to local population as well as to infant industry. On the other hand, the Ghana’s government considers that its stance must be determined by the position of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). They consider that a stronger regional position will protect their economies and facilitate their exports.