Negotiation Support:

Features

Guest writers comment on trade in southern Africa.

Regional Infrastructure Gains Ground in SADC

A renewed commitment to regional infrastructure in SADC is apparent and a host of programmes are being developed. John Rocha looks at what is happening and ways to improve the project pipeline

The real business of regional integration

Greg Mills looks at the case of Rwanda in analysing the root causes of high transport and trade costs across Africa's borders

Kazungula Bridge

Dianna Games considers if improved infrastructure alone will help the region's traders

Southern Africa and the Doha Development Round - where to from here?

Brendan Vickers takes a look at the recent developments.

RTFP has supported both the ESA and the SADC negotiating groups through the financing of Senior Trade Policy advisors based in their Secretariats. The adviser based in SADC has worked exclusively on EPA issues with the SADC EPA Unit whilst the adviser based in COMESA has also worked on wider issues of relevance to regional integration(such as Competition Policy).

In addition, the RTFP PMU has also provided direct technical assistance on specific areas when requested. In the case of the ESA group, this assistance has been provided in respect of Fisheries; Trade in Services as well as to the sub-group of the ESA negotiating block- the MMCS group (Mauritius, Madagascar, Comores and Seychelles).

Occasional studies have been financed for both groups but are not available for public dissemination.