Six countries of the Eastern and Southern Africa (ESA) block, namely Zimbabwe, Zambia, Comoros, Madagascar and Seychelles together with Mauritius have signed the Interim Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with the European Commission (EC).
Speaking at the ceremony on Saturday in Le Meridien hotel, 15 km from Port Louis, Mauritian Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Rama Sithanen said that he is convinced that the Interim EPA will take a rapid start which will put trade with the EU on a stronger base after the expiration of the Cotonou Agreement.
Sithanen added that for Mauritius, the agreement is very fruitful as Mauritius now enjoys a tax and quota free access for all the products that the island can produce and export to the EU.
Under the Lomé Convention many agricultural and food products were taxed, but this will not be the case now, he said.
He said that the agreement will give a boost to the local textile industry and will now allow the country to export refined sugar to the EU.
The discussions will continue until a consensus is found to sign a full and comprehensive agreement, he said.
The EC was represented by its Trade Commissioner Baroness Catherine Ashton. Gunnar Wieslander, Swedish Vice- Minister of Trade represented the presidency of the EU.
Also present were Sindiso Ngwenya, Secretary General of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) and representatives of the signatory countries.
Source African Press Agency
