EU ban on local exports under review

• Trade Minister says WTO talks in Geneva discussing lifting ban on farm produce exports.
• African Group expecting an agreement on the Special Safeguard Mechanism that will effectively address import surges that arise from unfair trade practices.
• Kenya in talks with France to establish livestock disease free zones to make beef products safe for export; project to cost about Sh5 billion.

The European Union may soon lift the ban on Kenya’s farm produce exports to its markets.

Trade minister Uhuru Kenyatta Sunday said that the World Trade Organisation talks attended by ministers from eight African countries were discussing lifting the ban.

The meeting in Geneva, Switzerland, where Mr Kenyatta is leading the African team is negotiating for a better trade environment in the world markets.

“We expect these negotiations to unlock the potential of the agricultural sector so that we can effectively address development needs such as food security and rural development,” he said in a sessional paper presented to the WTO.

Other countries attending the meeting in Africa are: Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Egypt, Gabon, Lesotho, Mauritius and South Africa.

Effective solution

The African ministers in Geneva are guided by the decision of the last summit of the African Union Heads of state held in Sharma El Sheik, in Egypt last month.

Mr Kenyatta said that if this is done, Kenya will develop through fair trade rather than relying on diminishing aid.

“We therefore expect an effective solution that will address the instability of commodity prices in the world market, which continues to adversely affect the export of our commodities,” he said.

Import surges have continued to undermine agricultural production in many African countries.

Safeguards

The African Group, therefore, expects an agreement on the Special Safeguard Mechanism that will effectively address import surges which mostly arise from unfair trade practices.

Kenya has also entered into talks with France to establish livestock disease free zones to make beef products safe for export.

“The project will require at least Sh5 billion to eradicate livestock disease in the country,” said Livestock Development minister Dr Mohamed Kuti.

The French envoy to Kenya Elizabeth Barbier said that her country had expressed concern on how the ban to export beef products to EU markets by Kenya could be lifted.

The first phase of the war on livestock diseases will be in Isiolo and Laikipia.

“We are deeply concerned that in the Group of Seven (G7), not one African country was represented in a round that purports to be about development,” said Mr Kenyatta saying that this does not augur well for global governance.