EPAs - you're not alone

Numerous ministers and officials from ACP governments have spoken out about the effects that EPAs could have on their economies.

Dr Mukhisa Kituyi, Kenyan Trade Minister said in June 2005 'to make poverty history, you have to also make EPAs history'. More recently he said about EPAs: 'it's not fair, it's asking a lightweight and a heavyweight to wear the same gloves and fight the same rules'.

'The current EPA negotiations are far from develpment tools - instead they pose serious threats to the development of African countries and their people.'

John Kaputin, ACP Secretary General

'We fear that our economies will not be able to withstand the pressures associated with liberalisation (associated with EPAs)'

Dipak Patel, Zambian Minister of Trade

'If EPAs carry through, African countries have to kiss goodbye to their industrialisation efforts.'

President Mogae of Botswana

Last year the UK government released a position paper saying it believed that EPAs should not be used to force countries to open up their economies. It also said that negotiations should only begin on new issues, like investment, if requested.

It concluded by saying: 'implemented along these lines, Economic Partnership Agreements should provide real development benefits to the ACP countries'.

More recently, in a letter to Peter Mandelson, the UK government has restated its position saying it is: 'concerned about the current state of the negotiations and want to see these agreements deliver real benefits to ACP countries'.

While this is a step in right direction, we need to continue to take action to ensure that we really do stop EPAs in their current form.