Updating the Economic Partnership Agreements to match today’s global challenges
Darlan F. Martí, Economic Affairs Officer at the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), recently published an ebook "Updating the EPAs", a collection of seventeen essays authored by recognised trade experts and senior policy-makers, was indeed the desire to assess the EPAs in light of the concurrent food, climatic, economic and financial crises, in order to ascertain whether or not these agreements were likely to constitute relevant instruments of trade and development policies over the years. The response which resulted from the expert opinions and analyses constitute a mix of positive and negative elements.
This is not entirely surprising since the EPAs are not black or white. They are complex processes and instruments, necessarily containing a variety of both positive and negative elements, the identification of which depends on the points of view being taken.
The depressing message is that EPAs are not useful or, at least, that these agreements are not necessarily relevant in light of the challenges faced by poor and vulnerable states, such as the ACP countries. The heart lifting message is that all stakeholders continue to strongly believe that the EPAs should and can make a positive difference and that it is therefore possible to shape them for a truly positive outcome.
Link to presentations made during the eBook’s launch at: http://web.gmfus.org/mp3s/Ebook_Nov19.mp3
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