Saturday, October 26, 2013
From Edmund Mingle, Dakar, Senegal.
Ghana, Nigeria and Cote d'Ivoire have adopted a
common position on the ECOWAS Common External Tariff (CET), as the
Extraordinary Summit of Heads of State and Governments of ECOWAS opened in
Dakar, Senegal yesterday.
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| Vice President Amissah-Arthur in a chat with Nigeria's Finance Minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala in Dakar, Senegal on the sidelines the ECOWAS meeting |
The three countries rooted for the
operationalisation of a CET that would not be inimical to the growth of
economies, but facilitate regional integration and promote the growth of
industries.
In addition, the three want the summit to adopt
adequate protective measures for industrial products in protocols proposed in
the CET and Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with the European Union.
Details of the common position, which was reached
between Ghana's delegation to the summit, led by Vice President Kwesi
Amissah-Arthur, and the delegations of the two other countries in separate
closed door meetings before the start of the summit, was not disclosed to
journalists.
The CET aims at establishing a common tariff regime
for products that are trade among the 15 West African countries to achieve a
harmonised import and export duty system.
Vice President Amissah-Arthur at the meeting with
the Nigerian delegation led by Finance Minister, Mrs. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala,
indicated Ghana’s commitment to ensure that the CET and EPA fully benefited the
sub-region.
He was hopeful that the outstanding issues regarding
the CET, which forms the basis for the EPA negotiations, would be settled at
the summit.
Although there were no details, Haruna Iddrisu,
Minister of Trade and Industry, told journalists that “we are optimistic other
countries would buy into our proposals for the entire Summit to adopt it.”
Later at the opening session of the Summit, Alassane
Quattara, ECOWAS Chairman and President of Cote d’Ivoire, described the meeting
as critical in the to the economic development of the sub-region.
“We will be taking a decisive step in the life of
ECOWAS,” he said.
He expressed confidence in the individual and
collective determination of the group to address the economic challenges facing
the sub-region, saying the high level of participation in the summit was
indicative of that commitment.
Touching on the agenda for the summit, he said the
decisions that would be taken on the CET, EPA and Community Levy, would be
“laying the foundation for shared prosperity.”
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| Their countries believe in the CET |
“We need to harmonise our various positions so as to
improve our competitiveness for the benefit of the sub-region,” he urged the
member countries.
Kadre Desire Quadraogo, President of ECOWAS Commission,
in his report, touched on the recent terrorist attack on the Westgate Mall in
Kenya where 67 people died, and particularly paid tribute to Prof. Kofi
Awoonor, former Chairman of Ghana’s Council of State, and also expressed
condolence to the government and people of Ghana over the loss.
He said the attack was a reminder of the lurking
threat of terrorism in Africa, and the need for leaders to work together to
fight the menace.
The presidents, who
Vice President Amissah-Arthur joined for the summit, included Alassane Quattara
of Cote d'Ivoire, Ibrahim Boubacar Keita of Mali, Mamadou Issoufou of Niger, Thomas
Yayi Boni of Benin and Macky Sall of Senegal.
ECOWAS is the sub-regional
grouping of Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Cote d'Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana,
Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone and
Togo.
END
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