COMESA/LLPI in partnership with the Eastern Africa Economic Chambers of Commerce, Commonwealth Secretariat, AFR-EXIM BANK and Center for WTO Studies organized the “WTO and Post-Bali Agenda for Africa workshop that was hosted in Nairobi-Kenya, at Fairmont Hotel, from 24th to 25th April 2014.
The workshop was organized for policy makers and other stakeholders who are directly or indirectly involved in WTO negotiations to deepen the understanding and development implications of relevant negotiating issues. The Workshop was attended by 34 participants from COMESA/LLPI, UNCTAD, Common Wealth Secretariat, Center for WTO Studies, East African Chamber of Commerce, ACP Geneva Office, Kenya Chamber of Commerce, Apex fish Solutions, Policy Analyst Kippra and representatives from Ministry of Trade/Planning or Foreign Affairs of 9 countries namely, Kenya, Egypt, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius Rwanda, Swaziland, Tanzania and Uganda.
Eleven technical papers and reports of country interventions on post-Bali program were presented, respectively by Experts and country representatives.
The COMESA/LLPI Expert, Prof. Mekonnen Hailemariam presented a paper entitled “Mainstreaming of Agro-based Commodities in Trade Negotiations in Africa”. The paper primarily, presents the leather sector, which is globally, the most widely traded Agro-based commodities and for which Africa exhibits a huge unexplored potential. Participants discussed on how to seize global market opportunities in the leather sector for its great contribution to growth and development of the Region. The workshop was concluded after deliberating on general and specific messages pertaining to the post Bali work program.