[FSFLA] Tanzania: EPA would reinstate Africa’s colonial role

[willi uebelherr]

Dear friends,
this voice from Tanzania is so important for our world.
many greetings, willi
Manaus, Brasil


-------- Weitergeleitete Nachricht --------
Betreff: [Debate-List] Tanzania backs out of EAC deal with EU over Brexit
Datum: Mon, 11 Jul 2016 14:13:45 +0200
Von: Riaz K Tayob <riaz.tayob at gmail.com>
An: Debate (...) Southern Africa <debate-list at fahamu.org>

[Meanwhile South of the Limpopo, SADC is geared up to sign... and well I 
suppose if the International Relations minister does not understand the 
impact of BREXIT on international relations, we will go ahead with the 
agreement and decimate local production capacity...]

http://www.nation.co.ke/news/Tanzania-backs-out-of-EAC-deal-with-EU-over-Brexit/-/1056/3287032/-/s139waz/-/index.html

     Tanzania backs out of EAC deal with EU over Brexit

     The agreement between the EU and EAC was scheduled to be signed on
     July 18.

     Saturday July 9 2016
     DAR ES SALAAM

     Tanzania has said it will not sign an economic partnership agreement
     (EPA) between East Africa Community (EAC) and European Union (EU)
     following Brexit.

     The announcement caused anguish and shock at the EAC headquarters in
     Arusha. Dr Mlima told reporters in Dar es Salaam that Tanzania had
     decided to halt the signing because of “turmoil” that the EU is
     experiencing.

     EAC Secretariat workers could not believe that Tanzania had pulled
     out of a deal which it has participated in negotiations.

     A number of officials at the Secretariat were apparently at a loss
     on Friday on learning of the country's U-turn as announced in Dar es
     Salaam by Foreign Affairs permanent secretary Aziz Mlima.

     "Has the Tanzania government withdrawn?" inquired a surprised
     official who said if it was true, the move would be a setback to the
     negotiations which have been going on for years between EAC and EU.

     On Friday, Dr Mlima told reporters in Dar es Salaam that Tanzania
     had decided to halt the signing because of “turmoil” that the EU is
     experiencing following Britain’s exit.

     The agreement between the EU and EAC was scheduled to be signed on
     July 18.

     Dr Mlima said signing the pact would risk exposing young EAC
     countries to harsh economic conditions given the prevailing
     conditions in Europe.

     The official said Tanzania’s Parliament would first peruse and
     advise the government before committing to the deal.

     “Our experts have established that the way it has been crafted, the
     EPA will not benefit local industries in East Africa. Instead it
     will lead to their destruction as developed countries are likely to
     dominate the market,” Dr Mlima said.

     Dr Mlima's remarks echoed strong criticism of the pact by former
     president Mkapa who warned EAC not to rush to sign the pact because
     it was designed to kill the local manufacturing sector.

     Mr Mkapa expressed his recent disapproval of the EPA when he
     officiated the Mwalimu Nyerere International Festival at University
     of Dar es Salaam late last month.

     “I don’t understand how such a powerful trade bloc can have a free
     trade agreement with the developing economies of Africa. There is no
     way that our small economies can have free trade agreement with
     Europe,” emphasised Mr Mkapa.

     Tanzanian intellectuals also joined the former president in
     denouncing the EU’s trade pacts.

     The University of Dar es Salaam’s retired law Professor Issa Shivji
     had once warned East Africa leaders that the EPA would reinstate
     Africa’s colonial role as a raw materials supplier to European
     factories.

     “EPAs are not good for us because they will destroy our industries.,
     Prof Shivji argued adding that EPAs would simply allow European
     heavily subsidized manufacturers access the region’s market.

     EAC Secretariat workers could not believe that Tanzania had pulled
     out of a deal whose negotiations it had participated in.

     Speaking on condition of anonymity, an official said the move
     contradicted a ministerial meeting in Nairobi on June 30 in which
     all the five partner states agreed to sign the document on the
     sidelines of the UNCTAD conference.

     The EAC secretary general Mr Mfumukeko could not be reached for
     comment as he is reported to be out of the country as was the
     director general of customs and trade Peter Kiguta.

     The latter has been leading trade negotiations on the EPA with EU.

     EAC spokesperson Owora Richard-Othieno said although each partner
     state in the community was to sign the EPA with EU individually, the
     EAC had undertaken negotiations as a bloc.

     Reported by John Namkwahe (Dar) and Zephania Ubwani (Arusha).

     (Editing by Joel Muinde)

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