The Brussels Development Briefing n. 58 on “Africa’s Agriculture Trade in a changing environment” organised by CTA, the European Commission/EuropeAid, the ACP Secretariat, IFPRI, Concord and BMZ/GIZ was held on Wednesday 23 October 2019 (9h00-13h00) at Hotel Sofitel Brussels Europe, Place Jourdan 1, 1040 Brussels.

The briefing brought various perspectives and experiences around the new trends and opportunities in intra-Africa trade in the context of free trade agreements and regional integration. It also showed Africa trade within the broader global trade picture and with the EU as one of the main trade partners.

Experts presented trends and prospects of regional trade in Africa in the light of new policy developments as well as Africa’s recent performance in different markets. It also featured successes and innovative models in regional trade across regions in Africa and lessons learned for upscaling and expanding regional trade.

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Note and Programme

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PROGRAMME 

09h00-09h15     Introduction to the BriefingIsolina Boto, Manager, CTA Brussels Office and Coordinator of the Briefings

Introductory remarks: Wim Olthof, Deputy Head of Unit Rural Development, Food Security, Nutrition, Europeaid, European Commission; Yvonne Semba Chileshe, Expert Commodities & Value Chains Development, ACP Secretariat; Ousmane Badiane, Director for Africa, IFPRI; Tim Sauler, Deputy Head of Development Policy, Delegate to the ACP WP, Permanent Representation of Germany to the EU; Isolina Boto, Manager CTA Brussels Office [video].

09h15-11h00    Panel 1: New opportunities in regional trade for Africa

This panel will discuss trends and prospects of regional trade in Africa in the light of new policy developments as well as Africa’s recent performance in different markets.

Chair: H.E. Dr Ousmane Sylla, Ambassador of the Republic of Guinea to the EU [video]

Panelists:

  • What do we know about intra-regional trade in Africa: findings of AATM 2019

Antoine Bouet, Senior Research Fellow and co-leader of the Globalization and Markets Program in the Markets, Trade and Institutions Division (MTID), IFPRI [presentation|video]

  • Impact of the CAP and lessons learned for Africa’s agricultural regional trade

Alan Matthews, Professor of European Agricultural Policy, Trinity College, Ireland [presentation|video]

  • Supporting agribusiness development and industrialisation in the continent

Mariam Yinusa, Principal Financial Economist, African Development Bank (AfDB) [presentation|video]

  • Investing in inclusive agricultural trade that benefits farmers

Hanna Saarinen, Policy Advisor Food, Agriculture, Land, Oxfam EU [presentation|video]

Panel 1 Questions & Answers [video]

11h00-11h15 Coffee Break 

11h15-13h00    Panel 2: Successes in regional trade

This panel will present some successes and innovative models in regional trade across regions in Africa and lessons learned for upscaling and expanding regional trade.

Chair: Wim Olthof, Deputy Head of Unit, Europeaid, European Commission[video]

Panelists:

  • Africa-EU trade relations in agriculture and agrifood sector

Cécile Billaux, Head of Unit, DG Trade, European Commission [Presentation|video]

  • Opportunities in added-value products in local and regional markets

Rose Mutuku, Managing Director, Smart Logistics Solution, Kenya [Presentation|video]

  • From Bean to Bar: capturing value-added from cocoa

Komi Agbokou, Founder and President, Togo Choco [Presentation|video 

Panel 2 Questions & Answers, and Closing remarks [video]

13h00 Light Lunch

One thought on “Brussels Briefing n.58: “Africa’s Agriculture Trade in a changing environment”

  1. I attended the briefing on October 23 2019. The topic is well chosen and it is time to act. I think it is necessary to have a follow up as to get action implemented in Africa, concerning the Agro development and trade.

    I am active in projects in cocoa farming in Nigeria and in Ivory Coast and it is important that farmers becomes part of the trade chain. It is still a “hand out ” business and that can easily be changed.

    Banks do not properly “use” credit instruments receveid , neither in Ivory Coast or in Nigeria, so there is a vacum. There are mnay more things to be said , but probably best at a follow up session,

    Sincerely
    Nils Wigart

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