Trade Hub Trains Tanzanians on AGOA, NTBs and Rules of Origin

At the request of the Ministry of Trade and Industry, SATH trained 49 public/private sector participants in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, from August 24-26. The three-day training program covered the African Growth and Opportunities Act (AGOA), Non-Tariff Barriers (NTBs); and Rules of Origin (ROO). Deliberations on NTBs and AGOA attracted a lot of interest and debate, especially during group work sessions.

The aim of the training was to improve the understanding of stakeholders of the need to remove NTBs and deepen integration in SADC, to create awareness on the value of AGOA and how to fully exploit the benefits it presents, and to explain to participants how to apply ROO correctly in order to avoid trans-shipment and improve the free flow of goods within the region - all of which could improve Tanzania's capacity to implement the SADC Protocol on Trade and other trade agreements, such as AGOA.

Participants highlighted the following constraints to greater uptake of the opportunities presented under AGOA:

• Exporters require capacity building assistance to meet orders in terms of turnaround times, quality and export volumes, and called on government to invest more in export-oriented sectors such as handicrafts.
• Difficulties in meeting US sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) standards which constraints exporters from taking full advantage of AGOA.
• Supply-side constraints limit the ability of exporters to exploit opportunities presented by AGOA.
• There is a need to diversify into non-traditional products that are AGOA eligible, such as the production of honey and baobab, as well as to focus on those products that the SADC region can produce best.

During discussions on NTBs, participants agreed that there are many NTBs in Tanzania, in the SADC Region, as well as in other countries beyond the region that negatively affect the trade of Tanzanian products. These must be urgently addressed by Government, in consultation with the private sector, other SADC Member States and external trade partners. Specific NTBs include lengthy documentation/bureaucratic procedures, multiple check-points and the lack of knowledge and information about import/export requirements domestically, regionally and internationally.

In order to address these NTBs, participants suggested the following measures:

• A single window documentation process must be established in the country;
• Harmonization of procedures and the establishment of a regional system of recognizing product standards;
• Abolishing multiple check points; and
• The appropriate authorities must disseminate information with regards to and improve awareness on the import/export requirements, domestically, in the SADC region and internationally.

According to participants, there is also a need for regulatory reforms both in Tanzania and in the SADC region to address the NTBs that were highlighted during the workshop. In particular, there is need to consolidate the requirements of various Government Ministries into a single entity that will be empowered to issue all the necessary documentation through a single, seamless operation.

They further argued for the establishment of remedies to minimize the impact of NTBs on trade and reduce their arbitrary usage.

PROGRAM

SATH TRADE CAPACITY BUILDING INITIATIVE FOR THE UNITED REPUBLIC OF TANZANIA

AUGUST 24-26, 2011

DAR ES SALAAM, TANZANIA

DAY 1: WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2011

TRAINING ON THE AFRICAN GROWTH AND OPPORTUNITY ACT (AGOA)

DAY 2: THURSDAY, 25 AUGUST 2011

TRAINING ON NON-TARIFF BARRIERS (NTBs)

DAY 3: FRIDAY, 26 AUGUST 2011

TRAINING ON RULES OF ORIGIN (ROO)

Presentation: TCCIA SATH TRADE CAPACITY BUILDING INITIATIVE FOR THE URT