15th CAADP Partnership Platform Meeting
June 12, 2019
Safari Park Hotel, Nairobi, Kenya
Side Event: Supporting Evidence-based Trade Policy Planning, Implementation, and Mutual Accountability
Time: 10:15–11:45
Room: Bougainvillea
Organizers: International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) and United States Agency for International Development (USAID)
Contact Person : Tsitsi Makombe, Email : t.makombe@cgiar.org
Abstract
The signing of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement by 49 African countries has been lauded by the development community as a giant step toward boosting intra-African trade, employment, and economic growth. The AfCFTA is expected to gradually eliminate tariff and non-tariff barriers, improve customs and trade facilitation, develop regional and continental value chains, and foster investment and industrialization across Africa. These efforts will enhance intra-African trade which remains low compared to other regions of the world. The AfCFTA offers Africa an opportunity to diversify its export base from extractive products to more manufactured and agricultural products and thus reduce the continent’s economic vulnerability and create jobs for a bulging youth population, especially in the agriculture sector. Moreover, the AfCFTA agreement will complement efforts to triple intra-Africa trade in agricultural commodities and services as part of the Malabo Declaration’s agricultural transformation agenda.
Objectives
At this side event participants will discuss ongoing efforts by technical and development partners in support of the AfCFTA and African agricultural trade. Specifically, the discussion will focus on efforts to promote evidence-based trade policy planning, implementation, review, and dialogue through dedicated trade technical networks and mutual accountability tools and best practices. The side event will last 90 minutes.
Chairperson and Moderator: Godfrey Bahiigwa, Director, Department of Rural Economy and Agriculture, African Union Commission (AUC)
Introduction of Session and Speakers: 5 mins
Godfrey Bahiigwa, Director, Department of Rural Economy and Agriculture, African Union Commission (AUC)
Presentation # 1: Building Trade Technical Networks to Provide Policy Analysis Support to the AfCFTA and other Continental Trade Initiatives [10 mins]
David Laborde, Senior Research Fellow, Markets, Trade and Institutions Division, IFPRI
Presentation # 2: Facilitating Evidence-Based Review, Dialogue, and Mutual Accountability on African Trade [10 mins]
Augustin Wambo, Head of CAADP, African Union Development Agency-NEPAD
Panel Discussion: [30 mins]
Panelists:
- Hamadi Iddi Boga, Principal Secretary, Kenya Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation
- Fatmata Seiwoh, M&E Specialist, Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)
- Chris Muyunda, Chairman, CAADP Non-State Actors Coalition (CNC)
- Fadel Ndiame, Interim Vice President, Policy & State Capability, Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA)
Plenary Discussion [30 mins]
Closing Remarks: 5 min