09:00 – 09:30 Registration

09:30 – 10:00 Welcome Coffee

HIGH LEVEL OPENING SESSION

Africa and the Multilateral Trading System

In honor of Ambassador Chiedu Osakwe (1955 - 2019)

Moderator:

• Ambassador Alan Wm. Wolff, Deputy Director-General, World Trade Organization (WTO)
  Speech

Since the establishment of the WTO in 1995, the participation of African countries in its work has increased through the contributions of the African Group and that of individual African Members. Out of its 164 Members, the WTO has 44 Members from the African continent - 41 original Members and 3 acceded to the Organization pursuant to Article XII of the Marrakesh Agreement: Cabo Verde in 2008, Seychelles in 2015, and Liberia in 2016. Currently, 9 out of the 22 countries in the queue for WTO membership are from the African continent. This opening session is dedicated to Ambassador Chiedu Osakwe (1955-2019) who made unique contributions in strengthening the values of the multilateral trading system and helped African countries harness the benefits of international trade. He played key roles in the international trade community as a Nigerian delegate to the GATT/WTO (1993-1998), senior staff in the WTO Secretariat (1998-2016) and as Nigeria's Chief Trade Negotiator (2016-2019) during which he also chaired the AfCFTA Negotiating Forum which led to the conclusion of the AfCFTA Agreement in March 2018. Speakers will share their views on Africa and the multilateral trading system within the context of the AfCFTA implementation process, the WTO Reform talks and WTO Accessions.

10:00 – 10:15 Welcome and Opening Remarks

• Mr Melaku Alebel, Minister of Trade and Industry, Ethiopi
  Speech

10:15 – 12:00

WTO Membership and the AfCFTA Implementation

• Mr Albert M. Muchanga, Commissioner for Trade and Industry, African Union Commission (AUC)
  Speech
• Mr Stephen Karingi, Director, Regional Integration and Trade Division, United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA)
  Speech

WTO Reform and the Future of African Trade Policy

• Ambassador Amina Mohammed, Cabinet Secretary for Sports Culture & Heritage, Kenya
  Speech
• Dr Patrick Low, Former Chief Economist, WTO

WTO Accession and Africa — Opportunities, Challenges and Support

• Mr Axel Addy, Former Minister of Commerce and Industry, Liberia

Followed by Open Discussion

12:00 – 12:30 Group Photograph

12:30 – 14:00 Lunch Break

SESSION 1

Maximizing the Benefits of the AfCFTA through WTO Accession

Moderator:

• Mr David Luke, Coordinator, African Trade Policy Centre, Regional Integration and Trade Division, UNECA

The WTO accession process provides a unique opportunity for governments to engage in an across-the-board domestic reform process, including through the alignment of legal frameworks to WTO rules and principles. All nine African countries, which are currently in the process of WTO accession, are engaged in the AfCFTA. This session will explore the key parameters these countries need to consider in their engagement in the parallel negotiations. Representatives of acceding governments will share their perspectives on the synergies to be built between the two processes.

14:00 – 15:30

AfCFTA Negotiations and Implementation — State of Play

• Mr Million Habte, Senior Expert on Trade in Services on Regulatory Issues, AUC
  Presentation

WTO Accessions — State of Play

• Ms Maika Oshikawa, Director, Accessions Division, WTO
  Presentation

Commentator:

• Mr Melaku Desta, Principal Regional Advisor, Regional Integration and Trade Division, UNECA on:

“Accession to the AfCFTA Agreement — Issues and Reflections”

15:30 – 15:45 Coffee Break

14:30 – 15:15

Round Table Discussion on "WTO Accession and the AfCFTA as a pathway towards economic development"

• Mr Yassin Eisa Mohamed Abdalla, Secretary General, National Secretariat for WTO Affairs, Ministry of Industry and Trade, Sudan
• Mr Domingo Mba Esono Nsang, Vice Minister of Commerce and Promotion of SMEs, Equatorial Guinea
• Mr Geremew Ayalew Haile, Minister Counsellor, Permanent Mission of Ethiopia to the UNOG
• Mr Khaled Bouchelaghem, Director-General, Ministry of Commerce, Algeria
• Mr Ahmed Mzé, Counsellor, Permanent Mission of Comoros to the UNOG
• Mr Dalmar Hassan Kanyare, Special Advisor for Trade Development and Economic Policy in the Office of the President, Somalia
• Mr Kuot Madhor Kuot, Director/WTO Focal Point, Ministry of Trade, Industry and EAC Affairs, South Sudan

 

SESSION 2

Assessing the Economic Impact of Market Opening

Moderator:

• Dr Patrick Low, Former Chief Economist, WTO

The economic impact of market opening through trade liberalization is well documented in literature. For centuries, trade liberalization has lifted millions out of poverty, spurred economic growth, improved standards of living and increased chances for peace and stability. As African leaders engage in the implementation phase of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), efforts must be made towards assessing the impact of market opening, particularly for countries that are engaged in the WTO accession process and the AfCFTA. This session will explore the impact of market opening from various angles.

15:45 – 16:15

Structural Transformation through Market Opening

• Mr Mustapha Sadni Jallab, Head, Training and Research Division, UNECA
  Presentation

Poverty Impact of Trade Liberalization

• Mr Paul Brenton, Lead Economist, Macroeconomics, Trade and Investment Global Practice, World Bank Group
  Presentation

Empirical Assessment of the Impact of the AfCFTA

• Ms Maryla Maliszewska, Senior Economist, Macroeconomics, Trade and Investment Global Practice, World Bank Group
  Presentation
• Mr Simon Mevel, Economic Affairs Officer, Regional Integration and Trade Division, UNECA
  Presentation

Commentator:

• Dr Kato Kimbugwe, Managing Partner and Founder of Dynamic Analysis

16:15 – 17:00

18:00 Reception hosted by the Government of Ethiopia

SESSION 3

WTO Accession and the AfCFTA: Building Synergies on Substance

Moderator:

• Ambassador Alan Wm. Wolff, Deputy Director-General, World Trade Organization (WTO)

Joining the WTO is a complex process which requires: (i) the examination of the foreign trade regime of the acceding government by WTO Members and multilateral negotiations on the acceding government's commitments on matters covered by WTO rules; and, (ii) the bilateral market access negotiations between the acceding government and interested WTO Members on goods and services. In parallel, regional integration efforts involve trade negotiations on the same matters and similar approaches are likely to be adopted for the accession of African countries that are yet to ratify the AfCFTA Agreement. This session will examine the synergies that can be built around key aspects on trade negotiations at the multilateral and regional level.

09:30 – 10:45

WTO Accession and the AfCFTA — Synergies on Rules

• Ms Anna Varyanik, Legal Affairs Officer and Ms Mariam Soumaré, Trade Policy Analyst, Accessions Division, WTO
  Presentation
• Mr Rodgers Mukwaya, Economic Affairs Officer, Sub-regional Office for Eastern Africa, UNECA
  Presentation
• Ms Leyou Tameru, Founder of I-Arb Africa

Followed by Open Discussion

10:45 – 11:00 Coffee Break

11:00 – 12:30

WTO Accession and the AfCFTA — Synergies on Market Access (Goods and Services)

• Mr Lisanework Gorfu, Director General of Trade Relation and Negotiation, Ministry of Trade and Industry, Ethiopia
  Presentation

Followed by Open Discussion

12:30 – 14:00 Lunch Break

SESSION 4

WTO Accession and the AfCFTA: Building Synergies on Process

Perspectives of Acceding Governments and the Private Sector

Having heard the perspectives of technical experts, WTO acceding governments will share their thoughts on ensuring policy synergies between the simultaneous pursuit of WTO accession and AfCFTA negotiation/implementation. We will also hear the perspectives of private sector representatives.

14:00 – 15:30

Inter-agency Coordination in WTO Accession and AfCFTA Negotiations — Trade Negotiator's Perspectives

Moderator:

• Mr Charles Kunaka, Lead Specialist on Connectivity, Macroeconomics, Trade & Investment, World Bank Group

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• Mr Yassin Eisa Mohamed Abdalla    Secretary General, National Secretariat for WTO Affairs, Ministry of Industry and Trade
• Mr Domingo Mba Esono Nsang, Vice Minister of Commerce and Promotion of SMEs, Equatorial Guinea
  Speech
• Ambassador Mesganu Arga, State Minister of Trade and Industry, and Deputy Chief Trade Negotiator, Ethiopia
• Ms Maryan Hassan, Chief Trade Negotiator for WTO Accession at the Office of the President, Somalia
• Mr Khaled Bouchelaghem, Director-General, Ministry of Commerce, Algeria
• Mr Ahmed Mzé, Counsellor, Permanent Mission of Comoros to the UNOG
• Mr Kuot Madhor Kuot, Director / WTO Focal Point, Ministry of Trade, Industry and EAC Affairs, South Sudan

Commentator:

• Mr Million Habte, Senior Expert on Trade in Services on Regulatory Issues, AUC

15:30 – 15:45 Coffee Break

15:45 – 17:00

Consultation with the Business Community on the WTO Accession Process and AfCFTA Negotiations — Perspectives of the Private Sector

Moderator:

• Mr Giles Chappell, Trade Policy Advisor, Trade Facilitation and Policy for Business, ITC

• Mr Benjamin Evita Oma, Secretary-General, Business Consortium, Equatorial Guinea
• Ms Maria Luisa Mangue Ndumu Eyang, Administrator, Business Consortium, Equatorial Guinea
• Eng. Melaku Ezezew, President, Ethiopian Chamber of Commerce and Sectorial Associations, Ethiopia
• Mr Ahmed Mahat Mohamed, Chief Executive Officer, IBS Bank, Somalia
• Mr Angelo Lado Gore Tombe, General Manager, National Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture, South Sudan
• Mr Yowa Asholy Dia Soso, Chairman, Shippers Council, National Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture, South Sudan
• Mr Mohamed Suliman Mohamed Hussein, Businessman, Chamber of Exporters, Sudan
• Mr Mohamed Ali Abdalla Ali, General Manager, Sudan Cotton Growers and Exporters Association, Sudan

Followed by Open Discussion

17:00 End of day 2

SESSION 5

Engagement with Domestic and International Stakeholders

Stakeholder consultation and engagement is important in trade policy making. This session will examine best practices in two critical aspects that are important in engaging domestic and international stakeholders: (i) establishing an effective communication strategy and (ii) mobilizing technical assistance and political support.

09:30 – 11:00

Moderator:

• Mr Nelson Mwangi Ndirangu, Chairman, Competition Authority of Kenya

Engaging Domestic and International Stakeholders in Trade Policy Making

• Dr Kato Kimbugwe, Managing Partner and Founder of Dynamic Analysis
  Presentation
• Ms Vidya Nathaniel, Trade Policy Advisor, Trade Facilitation and Policy for Business, ITC
  Presentation

Communication Strategy — Best Practices

• Mr Axel Addy, Former Minister of Commerce and Industry, Liberia
  Presentation

Followed by Open Discussion

11:00 – 11:15 Coffee Break

11:15 – 12:30

Moderator:

• Ms Maika Oshikawa, Director, Accessions Division, WTO

Round Table on Mobilizing Technical and Political Support

• Ms Zodwa Mabuza, Principal Regional Integration Officer, African Development Bank (AfDB)
• Ambassador Ali A. Mahmoud, Senior Cooperation Specialist, Islamic Development Bank (IsDB)
• Mr Avi Bram, Economist, United Kingdom Department for International Development (DFID)
• Mr Masaki Morimoto, Deputy Chief of Mission/Counsellor, Mission of Japan to the African Union
  Presentation
• Mr John Patrick Brady, USAID Representative to the African Union and UNECA, and George I. Brown, USAID Program Development Specialist

Followed by Open Discussion

12:30 – 14:00 Lunch Break

14:00 – 15:30 Next Steps: Round Table Discussion

15:30 – 15:45 Coffee Break

CLOSING SESSION

15:45 – 16:00 Closing Remarks

• Ambassador Misganu Arga Moach, State Minister of Trade and Industry, Ethiopia
  Speech
• Ms Maika Oshikawa, Director, Accessions Division, WTO
• Mr Million Habte, Senior Expert on Trade in Services on Regulatory Issues, AUC
• Mr Giles Chappell, Trade Policy Advisor, Trade Facilitation and Policy for Business, ITC
• Mr Stephen Karingi, Director, Regional Integration and Trade Division, UNECA
• Mr Charles Kunaka, Lead Specialist on Connectivity, Macroeconomics, Trade & Investment, World Bank Group