Course on Regional Integration in Africa and the Economic Partnership Agreements

Course Description

In recent years, preferential trade agreements have proliferated in the developing world, with many African countries belonging to more than one agreement.  One potentially important agreement that is being negotiated is the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) between the EU and the ACP economies. In fact, in addition to potentially offering greater access to European markets, the EPAs could/should be harnessed to push forward Africa’s own regional integration initiatives and to promote internal regional development.  Simultaneously, a well integrated regional market is considered as a precondition for African economies to be able to reap all the potential benefits that the EPAs can offer.

After briefly addressing the standard conceptual issues concerning regional integtation, the course will assess the current status of various African regional integration schemes.  Then, it will delve into to the various implementation and design challenges to African regional integration.  The course will then discuss the status and the major issues in the EPA negotiations, and the interaction between the EPAs and the existing regional integration initiatives in Africa.

Each teaching module will be based on a short presentation by a resource person followed by a structured discussion to encourage a policy dialogue on the main issues.   

Course Objective

The objective of this 3 day course is to increase awareness and discuss the main implications of regional trade agreements, with a special focus on the Economic Partnership Agreements for African countries.

Target Audience
 
African policymakers, their advisors, academic trade researchers (who are or can be future trainers), other government officials charged with international trade issues, and private sector representatives involved in shaping the domestic and international trade agenda from African countries.

Staff of other international or bilateral agencies and regional economic organizations who are or will be engaged in analytical and advisory work on regionalism and EPA issues.

World Bank staff engaged in analytical and advisory work, preparing country assistance strategies, supporting PRSPs, and preparing or supervising lending operations with a component on trade and regional integration.  Other audiences include sectoral staff interested mainly in sectoral issues.
 
Target mix is 75 % external participants, and 25% Bank staff.  Space is limited to a maximum of 50 registered participants.

Course Agenda

Day 1:

Day 2:

Language

The course will be conducted entirely in English but simultaneous translation to French will be provided as needed.

Registration and Other Costs
 
There is no registration charge to World Bank staff and external participants from Sub-Saharan Africa.  

There is a registration fee of $200 for external participants from outside Sub-Saharan Africa.

External participants are expected to fund their travel and subsistence expenses from their sponsoring agencies budgets and available donors funding (three breakfasts and three lunches will be provided at the course venue).  WBI cannot directly fund participants costs and will only help identify alternative sources of funding in exceptional circumstances for participants from developing countries.  All participants are expected to arrange and finance their own travel accommodations.  
                                  

Course Contacts
       
The course is jointly organized by the World Bank Institute (WBI) and the Poverty Reduction and Economic Management Trade group (PRMTR).  All inquiries regarding the content of this course should be sent to the co-task managers:

• Soamiely Andriamananjara, WBIPR, Phone: +1-202-458-0284
• Faezeh Foroutan, PRMTR, Phone: +1-202-473-7680

All inquiries on registration and general aspect of the course should be sent to:

• Diane Billups, WBIPR, Phone: +1-202-473-5818