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`Kenya`s strong economy was the major reason Tanzania signed EPAs`
2008-04-02 10:41:17
By Patrick Kisembo
Kenya`s economic development forced Tanzania and other eastern African partner states to sign the controversial and widely-debated EAC-Economic Partnership Agreement (EAC-EPA) with Europe, it has been revealed.
Opening a one-day dialogue on EPA between EAC and European Union on Monday in Dar es Salaam, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Marketing, Dr Stergomena Tax said Tanzania was induced into signing the agreement because of Kenya\'s fast economic progress.
``We had no alternative other than to join EPAs,`` the PS admitted in a speech read on her behalf by the Deputy PS, Dr Florence Turuka.
``If Tanzania decided not to enter under EPA agreement, it would still be using Everything But Arms (EBA) agreement in trading with EU that allows poor countries to sell everything to EU except arms,`` she said.
However, operations of EPAs and EBA, at the same time, would create contradictions in the implementation of EAC economic issues, said the PS.
Dr Tax said application of both agreements would disturb implementation of import duties among the regional partners.
Commenting on his part, Dr Turuka said the ministry plans to educate the public on EPAs, calling on the stakeholders to actively participate in the process of finalising the agreements in July next year.
``It may be that there is no need for us to join EPAs because we are forced to do that due to poverty. Tanzania has no option but to join EPAs through EAC,`` he said.
EPAs negotiations became easy, according to the official, because EAC countries had already created a customs union. ``This can be proved by the offer given by EU to the EAC,`` he said.
This is the first in a series of sensitisation workshops on the importance of EPAs for the country.
Similar forums have been scheduled for the upcountry regions of Arusha, Mwanza, Zanzibar, Mtwara, Mbeya, Morogoro and Dodoma.
EPAs discussions in many parts of the world were overwhelmed by fierce criticisms, as poor nations rejected the agreements saying they were not to benefit them.
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