TECHNICAL SUPPORT FOR ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT FINALIZATION PROJECT
Introduction
Following the closure of the Uganda Programme for Trade Opportunities and Policy, (UPTOP), the Government of Uganda sought assistance to consolidate the gains made through this programme on trade capacity building. Major gains relate to the progress in negotiations with other partners for an Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) which culminated in the initialling of a framework agreement with the EU in November 2007. Negotiations on the other clusters spilt beyond the Cotonou deadline of 31st December 2007. Beyond the concerns of concluding negotiations in other clusters, it is critical that implementation of those aspects of the EPA that were concluded starts.
The momentum gathered during the various activities over the last four years needs to be maintained until final conclusion of the EPA negotiations and related activities that would help to continue to gain sustainability in Uganda’s trade activities. Some gaps have been identified to which the Government with support from the Delegation of the European Commission in Uganda wishes to extend the support received under the Technical Support for Economic Partnership Agreement Finalization (TSEPAF) project. The operational period of TSEPAF is April 2008 to March 2009. The project is supervised by and housed within the Ministry of Tourism, Trade and Industry.
Overall Objective
The overall objective of the project is to support to the Ministry of Tourism, Trade and Industry (MTTI) through Capacity Building in preparation for finalization of the EPA negotiations and implementation of the Agreement, and to begin on implementation of the National Trade Policy, thereby contributing to Uganda’s integration into the world economy and the multilateral trading system. This would help in furthering the country’s economic development and poverty alleviation strategies. The project is in line with Pillars one (Economic Management) and Two (Enhancing Production, Competitiveness and Incomes) of the Poverty Eradication Action Plan (PEAP), the National Trade Policy, the Diagnostic Trade Integration Study (DTIS) and the Competitiveness and Investment Climate Strategy 2006-2010 (CICS).
Purpose
The key purpose of the project is to assist Uganda effectively manage the EPAs negotiations and implementation process in 2008/09, and to begin on implementation of the National Trade Policy. The Agreement should be compatible with Uganda’s obligations under WTO and be coherent with membership to regional integration organisations, namely the EAC and COMESA. The outcome of the EPA negotiations should be improved access by Uganda to the EU and regional markets, increased overall trade with the EU and within the region, improved capacity of Uganda to take advantage of the opportunities created by the EPA, and capacity built amongst the trade stakeholders to more effectively participate in regional and international trade, in the overall context of the National Trade Policy
Project Activities and Expected Results
The broad activity areas of TSEPAF are:
1. Effective management of EPA negotiations.
2. Finalization of curriculum on trade policy with selected universities.
3. Sensitization of stakeholders.
4. Private Sector (Domestic Trade) Development and Preparation of the Sector to Benefit from the EPAs.
5. Implementation of National Trade Policy.
It is expected that the project will achieve the following results:
1. The EPA negotiating process within Uganda, within the relevant regional configuration and between the region and the EU during 2008/09 is effectively managed by MTTI.
2. A curriculum on trade policy finalised with selected universities.
3. Stakeholders, including the private sector, civil society, parliamentarians and other Government officials, sensitized on the EPA.
4. Domestic trade sector development and preparation of sector for EPA.
5. Components of the National Trade Policy implemented, and a mechanism for implementing the Trade Policy fully put in place.
Project Implementation
The main responsibility of implementing this project is that of the Permanent Secretary, MTTI. The Permanent Secretary is assisted in the day-to-day management by a technical team, mainly drawn from the ACP/EU Trade Unit of the Department of External Trade as well as some staff recruited under the Project. The team will coordinate the building of necessary skills in the MTTI to enable them to provide continued support to other stakeholders in the medium to long term of EPA implementation. Through training and workshops, the project will facilitate the transfer of trade policy skills to the public and private sector institutions. Thus, the Programme envisages two main modes of delivery; MTTI staff taking the lead in implementing most of the Programme activities with support from the Project, and a public-private partnership approach.
For further information on TSEPAF contact
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