Malawi yet to negotiate ACP-EU trade agreement

Malawi is yet to negotiate with the European Union (EU) on the conditionalities of the African, Carribbean and Pacific (ACP) Group of States trade partnership ahead of its expiry date in 2020.

ACP is an organisation comprising 79 African, Caribbean and Pacific States who are signatories to the Cotonou Agreement which binds them to EU.

Principal trade officer in the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism, Diamond Chikhasu said this in Thyolo on Friday during the Enhanced Integrated Framework (EIF) media sensitisation workshop.

He said that while other countries may have reached a consensus with the EU on the same, there is need for Malawi to agree on the terms to include in the upcoming partnership that should also be in the interest of Malawians.

“We need to project in the long-term what happens if we come to reciprocal terms specifically on terms binding us and the EU on this. We need to understand what benefits are accrued to us,” he said.

In his remarks, chief investment promotion officer in the Ministry, George Kanthiti said there has been great collaboration among stakeholders in improving the business environment in the country.