Programme developed to improve trade and competitiveness in the Central Africa Region in general and more in detail to improve the efficiency of the aid for trade strategy, to enhance national and regional ownership of the WTO Ministerial Conference “Nairobi Package” and to facilitate a public-private dialogue on technology, innovation and competitiveness in Central Africa.

Three-fold purposes: Improving the effectiveness of the implementation of the Aid for Trade strategy; Better national and regional ownership of the conclusions of the 10th WTO Ministerial Conference; Establishment of a mechanism to foster the development of technological capacities, innovation and competitiveness of the countries of Central Africa.

Four-fold outputs: The Support Programme contributed to:

• A Work Plan to implement the Central Africa Regional Strategy for Aid for Trade elaborated and validation;
• Elaboration of the post-Nairobi roadmap;
• the capacities of negotiators in the Central African region strengthened;
• A regional strategy for developing technological capabilities and innovation to improve the competitiveness of its economy developed and validated.

Intervention areas:

• Work Plan for the Central Africa Regional Strategy for Aid for Trade and follow-up mechanism;
• Regional workshop on the Post-Nairobi roadmap to implement the outcome of the 10th WTO Ministerial Conference;
• Study on trade in services agenda for the ECCAS region;
• Trade negotiations on agriculture;
• Draft a Study / Strategic paper for the development of technological capacities and innovation in the region;
• Public-Private Partnership on innovation and technology development capacities, in order to improve economic competitiveness in Central Africa supported;
• Stakeholders in the development of technological capabilities and competitiveness are identified, sensitized and have operational tools.

Purpose 1

• Strategy Document on “Aid for Trade Strategy for Central Africa” prepared;
• Action Plan to implement the Aid for Trade Strategy for Central Africa prepared;
• Training materials prepared, trainings of the key stakeholders undertaken and training report prepared;
• Electronic Training Kit on the Action Plan prepared for subsequent dissemination among the Ministries of ECCAS Member States;
• Training for Trainers on the implementation of the Action Plan held in Gabon – and related training materials prepared and delivered.

Purpose 2

• Post Nairobi Road Map” proposing ways to implement the key decisions of the Nairobi conference (10th WTO Ministerial conference) at a national level prepared;
• Memorandum on the potential deliverables of the 11th WTO Ministerial Conference and tracks for a Roadmap of the ECCAS Multilateral Trade Agenda prepared;
• ECCAS and Trade Negotiations: Roadmap for the Post-Buenos Aires Agenda on Multilateralism and Review of the Regionalism Roadmap;
• Trade Negotiations on Agriculture: Factsheet and Actions for the ECCAS Trade Agenda;
• Study on the Trade in Services Agenda for the ECCAS region undertaken;
• Regulatory Cooperation in Services: Approaches, Benefits and Limitations of its Implementation in the CFTA elaborated;
• Domestic regulation in the services sector and the ECCAS trade agenda elaborated.

Purpose 3

• Report: Regional Roadmap for the development of technological capabilities, innovation and competitiveness in ECCAS prepared and shared with key stakeholders;
• Regional Roadmap on Technological Capacities, Innovation and Competitiveness of ECCAS prepared and shared with key stakeholders;
• Note and comments on the study on the development of the technological capacities of ECCAS as part of the feedback from the key stakeholders;
• Training Materials on these key subjects prepared and trainings undertaken.