Aid for trade in ECOWAS: Lessons to learn from existing regional Aid for Trade Strategies
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Aid for Trade in ECOWAS Jeske van Seters ECOWAS Aid for Trade Working Group meeting, 9 October 2012 Lessons to learn from existing regional Aid for Trade Strategies
Aid for trade in ECOWAS: Lessons to learn from existing regional Aid for Trade Strategies
Jeske van Seters, ECDPM Aid for Trade Working Group Meeting Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS) 9-11 October 2012, Abuja
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1. Aid for Trade in ECOWAS Lessons to learn from existing
regional Aid for Trade Strategies Jeske van Seters ECOWAS Aid for
Trade Working Group meeting, 9 October 2012
2. Structure of the presentationI. Aid for Trade Agenda &
ECOWASII.Regional Aid for Trade Strategies
3. I. Aid for Trade Agenda & West Africa
4. What is Aid for Trade and WhyDoes it Matter for ECOWAS? AfT
has been defined globally (WTO) to refer to 5 categories: -
Economic Infrastructure - Building Productive Capacity - Trade
Development - Trade Policy and Regulations - Trade Related
Adjustment + Other Trade Related Needs
5. Why does AfT matter...? Trade is an essential vehicle for
improving living standards and reducing poverty Donors are
increasingly focused on improving trade (DfID, World Bank, ADB) and
have committed to increasing AfT flows There is also more focus on
regional trade and integration - AfT-related activities probably
covers 50+ per cent of what the ECOWAS Commission does
6. AfT commitments to ECOWAS countries (millions of constant
2009 US$)600050004000300020001000 0 2002-05(avg) 2006 2007 2008
2009 2010
7. Average ECOWAS Country-level flows 2010 (millions
US$)900800700600500400300200100 0
8. AfT to ECOWAS by category (avg 2006-09, thousands of 2009
constant US$) Trade Policy & Regulation and Trade-related
adjustment 4%Building ProductiveCapacity (incl trade development)
49% Economic Infrastructure 47%
9. AfT category ECOWAS examplesTrade policy and - Gap analysis
of ECOWAS Trade Liberalization Schemeregulations & trade
(ETLS)related adjustments - ECOWAS programmes on Standardization
and Quality controlTrade-related - Improved Road Transport
Governance (IRTG)infrastructure initiative - West African Power
Pool (WAPP)Building productive - Exports Promotion and
Enterprisecapacity Competitiveness for Trade (EXPECT) -
Regional/National Agricultural Investment Programmes (ECOWAP)
10. II. Aid for Trade Strategies
11. AfT strategies state of play A few regional AfT strategies
exist so far - e.g. COMESA, Indian Ocean Commission, Pacific &
UEMOA Development partners with AfT strategies are more numerous -
E.g World Bank, EU, UK, Finland, Netherlands, some lessons to
learn
12. Added value of regional AfT strategies 1. Guide how to use
AfT in a strategic and focussed way to resolve regional bottlenecks
E.g. objectives COMESA AfT strategy: 1. Coherent packages of
inter-related investments, instruments and regulatory measures
which allow the private sector to reduce the regional costs of
doing business 2. MS have access to mechanisms to address trade and
integration related adjustments
13. Added value of regional AfT strategies (cont) 2. Strengthen
coordination & coherence between regional programmes
(horizontal) Between regional and national levels (vertical) 3.
Improve the effective and efficient utilization of resources 4.
Provide a basis for resource mobilisation
14. Lessons learned - successes1. AfT strategy particularly
helpful if provides approach to AfT & clear objectives, not
list of projects2. AfT strategy as short, accessible and focused
document - E.g. COMESA AfT strategy = 2 pages + results matrix3.
AfT strategy addresses issues that can best be addressed regionally
- E.g. regional corridors, regional value chains,
15. Lessons learned successes (cont)4. Need for clarity about
relationship between various regional policies, strategies and
plans - AfT strategy contributes to inter-departmental
coordination5. Communication is key - internally: to ensure
ownership, as responsibility for implementation of AfT strategy
lies with different divisions/ministries - externally: to mobilise
development partners
16. Lessons learned challenges1. Move beyond accounting
exercise - EU AfT strategy monitoring focussed on AfT flows2.
Mobilise sufficient funding and use (public & private)
innovative funding mechanisms - delays in establishing COMESA
Infrastructure fund
17. Lessons learned challenges (2)4. Ensure sufficient human
resources - E.g. COMESA Aid for Trade Unit not given the capacities
to fulfill coordination mandate5. Strengthen linkages between
regional and national level - E.g. through national AfT committees
(UEMOA)6. Systematic M&E to facilitate adaptation and
improvements to AfT programmes - possibly incorporated in broader
M&E system
18. Characteristics of ECOWAS AfT Strategy to be informed by
lessons learned Objectives Focus Role of AfT strategy in relation
to other regional and national strategies, policies and plans
Choice of implementation & monitoring mechanisms
20. Resources- Dalleau, M. and J. van Seters. 2011.
Operationalising the West African EPA Development Programme Moving
beyond the paperwork. (ECDPM Discussion Paper 121)
http://www.ecdpm.org/dp121- Lui, D., B. Byiers, and Jeske van
Seters. 2012. Rethinking Aid for Trade in the context of innovative
financing. (ECDPM Discussion Paper 127).
http://www.ecdpm.org/dp127- Seters, J. van, D. Afun-Ogidan, and F.
Rampa. 2012. Regional approaches to food security in Africa: The
CAADP and other relevant policies and programmes in ECOWAS
(Discussion Paper 128d). http://www.ecdpm.org/dp128d- Lui, D. and
J. Van Seters. 2012. Review of the COMESA Aid for Trade Strategy.
(ECDPM Discussion Paper 130). http://www.ecdpm.org/dp130