Who is Misadvising Kenya on the EPA with the EU?
I am not an economist but I have closely followed the debate
on the East African Community (EAC) and the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with the European Union (EU) and have greatly benefited from the analysis
and opinions of experts on this matter. It is clear that while Kenya has been
pushing for (sometimes bullying its neighbors) to sign an EPA with the EU, the
negative impacts are more than what we can gain as a region. The most recent
advice against signing the EPA with the EU comes from the United Nations Economic
Commission for Africa (UNECA) that clearly warns EAC against
this deal. According to UNECA, the proposed EPA will neither spur economic
growth nor bring wealth to the peoples of the region. UNECA further argues that
if the EPA is signed, local industries will struggle to withstand pressure from
European firms; EAC will be stuck in its position as a low valued-added
exporter; the region risks losing trading opportunities with other non-EU
partners hence hurting industrial output, welfare and GDP. One then wonders
what it is that Kenya sees in the deal! Either some few individuals are set to
personally benefit from it or someone is ignorantly and consistently so
misadvising the Kenyan government.
Who is Misadvising Kenya on the EPA with the EU?
Reviewed by Ibrahim Magara
on
June 22, 2017
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