Mukwaya wants EA exports harmonised
Jun 02, 2008
THE East African Community (EAC) states should harmonise standards of their exports, the tourism, trade and industry minister has said. Janat Mukwaya said the EAC should also adopt standards set by the international markets in order to penetrate them.
By Ben Okiror
THE East African Community (EAC) states should harmonise standards of their exports, the tourism, trade and industry minister has said. Janat Mukwaya said the EAC should also adopt standards set by the international markets in order to penetrate them.
While opening a trade capacity-building seminar for policy makers at the Imperial Royale Hotel in Kampala, she urged the five states to copy their counterparts who have broken through the food markets of developed countries.
“The best strategy for East Africa is to learn from the experiences of these successful exporters, while making full use of available international assistance,†Mukwaya said.
“Liberalisation of trade and opening up of key export destinations like the European Union (EU), US, Japan and Asia presents an immense trading opportunity for the EAC members.â€
She said despite stringent regulations and market requirements embedded in the World Trade Organisation agreements like the Technical Barriers to Trade and the Sanitary and Phytosanitary measures, the EU presented the biggest market for the region’s products.
“The EU is the largest export market for the EAC because of the EBA (everything but arms) free trade agreement and it consumes at least 60% of the region’s exports,†Mukwaya said.
The minister urged the region not to view compliance with requirements as a barrier but rather as an opportunity to raise quality in the food export sector.
THE East African Community (EAC) states should harmonise standards of their exports, the tourism, trade and industry minister has said. Janat Mukwaya said the EAC should also adopt standards set by the international markets in order to penetrate them.
While opening a trade capacity-building seminar for policy makers at the Imperial Royale Hotel in Kampala, she urged the five states to copy their counterparts who have broken through the food markets of developed countries.
“The best strategy for East Africa is to learn from the experiences of these successful exporters, while making full use of available international assistance,†Mukwaya said.
“Liberalisation of trade and opening up of key export destinations like the European Union (EU), US, Japan and Asia presents an immense trading opportunity for the EAC members.â€
She said despite stringent regulations and market requirements embedded in the World Trade Organisation agreements like the Technical Barriers to Trade and the Sanitary and Phytosanitary measures, the EU presented the biggest market for the region’s products.
“The EU is the largest export market for the EAC because of the EBA (everything but arms) free trade agreement and it consumes at least 60% of the region’s exports,†Mukwaya said.
The minister urged the region not to view compliance with requirements as a barrier but rather as an opportunity to raise quality in the food export sector.