‘Mathabana Kotelo
MASERU — African Caribbean and Pacific trade ministers are concerned that European Union health and safety sanctions are affecting exports, Trade minister Sek’hulumi Ntsoaole told a press conference this week. The meeting was meant to brief the media on the outcome of the 17th African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Trade Ministers’ meeting with the European Committee (EC) held in Brussels Belgium from October 9 to 11.
Minister of Trade and Industry, Cooperatives and Marketing, Ntsoaole said ACP trade ministers had met ahead of the Ninth World Trade Organisation Ministerial Conference to be held in Bali Indonesia on December 3 to 6 to deliberate upon key issues to be addressed. At the three-day conference, ACP trade ministers discussed key ACP issues for the upcoming World Trade Organisation Ministerial Conference, trade relations between ACP and European Committee (EC) including trade capacity building, developments on the international scene.
“ACP ministers have expressed our wish for a balanced outcome that benefits both developing and developed countries and to see developing countries benefiting from special and differential treatment by the European Union (EU),” Ntsoale said. The meeting was in preparation for the setting up of a Joint Ministerial Trade Committee between ACP and EC.
According to Ntsoale, the ACP-EC trade agreement will aid economic growth in developing countries, improve infrastructure and boost inter-regional trade. “A request was also put forth by ACP ministers for EC to increase market access for ACP countries and to hold off EU trade laws and regulation that imposes tariffs on ACP countries,” Ntsoale said.
The ACP ministers further expressed dissatisfaction over other bilateral trade agreements the EU has with other countries outside the ACP and the ministers requested that the EU inform them on future trade agreements with third parties.
“Our fear is that these other trade agreements may erode the preferential trade agreement we currently have with the EU,” the minister said. The upcoming World Trade Organisation ministerial conference is set to address among other issues, agriculture, trade facilitation and economic development.