Using Good Regulatory Practice to Facilitate Safe Trade in Africa
Accra, Ghana
21-22 September 2023
9.00 to 17.00 (local time in Ghana)
The AUC, AfCFTA Secretariat, STDF, and USDA and USAID (under the Feed the Future Initiative) organized a two-day learning event to promote the use of Good Regulatory Practices to facilitate safe trade in Africa, in line with the African Union's theme of the Year 2023: "Year of AfCFTA: Acceleration of the African Continental Free Trade Area Implementation". The event increased knowledge and skills on the use of tools and processes to improve the design and implementation of sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures aligned with Annex 7 of the AfCFTA Agreement and the AU SPS Policy Framework. The event also offered a space for participant input on the development of new tools and activities to effectively implement GRPs for SPS measures in their countries.
Concept note
Access the event concept note here.
Summary note and participants list
Access the event summary note here and the participants list here.
Programme
Thursday 21 September 2023
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09.00-09.20 |
Opening ceremony Moderator: Ms Marlynne Hopper, Deputy Head, STDF
Recording: 00:00:00 - 00:24:00 |
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09.20-09.40 |
Ice breaker exercise |
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09.40-10.30 |
Accelerating implementation of the AfCFTA to achieve policy goals: What's at stake? Non-tariff barriers (NTBs) are one of the main challenges to the success of the AfCFTA. Greater Use of Good regulatory Practices (GRPs) can help AU Member States to improve the quality and effectiveness of their SPS measures so that they protect health, without creating unnecessary barriers to trade. This session will frame the key issues to be addressed during the Learning Event, with a focus on what's at stake and why urgent action is needed to reduce NTMs (with evidence from the AfCFTA NTB Reporting, Monitoring and Eliminating Mechanism). Moderated by: Marlynne Hopper, STDF Secretariat Speakers:
Q&A Recording: 00:42:50 - 01.36:20 |
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10.30-11.00 |
Coffee break |
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11.00-12.00 |
A closer look at Good Regulatory Practices: What they are and why they are important for safe trade facilitation in Africa (Presentation and interactive audience engagement) This session will provide an overview of GRPs, drawing on examples and lessons in the STDF Guide on Good Regulatory Practices. Participants will be engaged on their knowledge and use of GRPs, via online tools (MentiMeter) and table discussions. Speaker: Ms Camille Fléchet, WTO Q&A Recording: 01:41:30 - 02:35:00 |
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12.00-13.00 |
Regional approaches: How are Regional Economic Communities using GRPs to facilitate trade on the continent, what are the experiences and lessons, and how are national governments engaged? Regional coordination enables countries to fully benefit from trade opportunities under the AfCFTA. This session will share selected examples of regional approaches to achieve equivalence and encourage harmonization of SPS measures, based on international and/or regional standards. Moderated by: Luiza Munyua, Senior Scientific Officer, Inter-African Phytosanitary Council of African Union (AU-IAPSC) Panellists:
Q&A Recording: 02:35:01 - 03:43:50 |
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13.00-14.15 |
Lunch break |
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14.15-15.30 |
Making use of GRPs to improve the design and implementation of SPS measures: How are government authorities and the private sector working together to strengthen the development and implementation of SPS measures? This session will share selected examples of innovative efforts by governments to engage with the private sector on regulatory development and implementation in an effort to improve compliance and reduce procedural obstacles and trade costs. The focus will on experiences, challenges and lessons learned. Attention will be given to how to engage relevant stakeholder groups (such as apex industry bodies, women's trader/producer associations, youth groups) to promote a more inclusive approach to the development of SPS measures. The private sector will share perspectives on how this collaboration works in practice from an industry viewpoint, the value added and opportunities to collaborate more for improved compliance and reduced trade costs. Moderated by: Ms Laura Naliaka, Trade Policy Fellow, United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) Panellists:
Q&A Recording: 03:46:00-04:58:00 |
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15.15-15.45 |
Coffee break |
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15.45-17.15 |
How are GRPs being used at the country level to improve transparency and ensure SPS measures are fit-for-purpose? And how can these approaches be scaled-up to boost regional trade under the AfCFTA? Good Regulatory Practices can be adapted to country situations (including differing institutional and cultural contexts, legal traditions and/or capacity). This session will share some additional examples of how different GRPs are being used in practice to encourage greater transparency on SPS measures, engage marginalized groups in public consultation processes, consider the expected and/or real impacts of regulations on different stakeholder groups, etc. The aim will be to learn from the experiences in a way that can enables such approaches to be scaled up to boost regional trade under the AfCFTA. Moderated by: David Jankowski, United States Trade Representative (USTR) Panellists:
Q&A Recording 1 (04:59:00 - 05:04:15), Recording 2 (00:00:00 - 01:34:55) |
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17.15-17-30 |
Wrap-up of Day 1 |
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Reception |
Friday 22 September 2023
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09.00-09:30 |
Plenary: Introduction to Day 2 Group exercise |
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09:30-10:45 |
Moving forward: What's needed to make SPS measures fit for purpose and accelerate implementation of the AfCFTA? Part 1: This session will enable stakeholders from the public and private sector to share their experiences on good regulatory practices for SPS measures and what they believe is needed to secure high-level buy-in and commitment at the national level and to better leverage existing opportunities to ensure increased uptake across the continent. Moderated by: Lee Gross, USDA Foreign Agricultural Service Panellists:
Q&A Recording: 00:27:00 - 01:42:10 |
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10:45-11:15 |
Coffee break |
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11.15-12.30 |
Moving forward: What's needed to make SPS measures fit for purpose and accelerate implementation of the AfCFTA? Perspectives from international organizations and partners on how to scale-up the use of GRP to facilitate safe trade Part 2: This session (panel discussion) will enable development partners providing support to strengthen sanitary and phytosanitary capacity across the continent to share their insights on concrete actions to scale-up the use of GRPs in a way that accelerates the implementation of the AfCFTA and benefits traders, micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) and people across Africa. Panellists will outline how their programmes and initiatives support the use of GRPs, and identify opportunities to develop new synergies and/or leverage and scale-up the use of existing mechanisms for stronger results. They will reflect on concrete actions that can already be taken to operationalize the Food Safety Strategy for Africa and the Plant Health Strategy for Africa in a way that proactively supports the roll out of the AU SPS Policy Framework and AfCFTA Agreement. Moderated by: Chiluba Mwape, AUC Panellists:
Q&A Recording: 01:44:50 - 03:00:00 |
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12.30-14.00 |
Lunch |
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14.00-16.30 |
Plenary: Developing a GRP toolkit for SPS measures Moderated by: USDA, USAID and partners This session will provide input into an activity to develop a GRP toolkit for SPS measures. After a framing presentation, the moderators will lead participants through a series of interactive exercises to identify potential diagnostics, templates, and operational frameworks to help them identify current strengths and areas for support to facilitate the adoption of GRPs for SPS regulatory reforms in their own countries. Breakout groups |
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16.30-17.00 |
Closing session: Summary of key findings and agreement on follow-up actions (Call to Action)
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We need your input!
USDA is conducting a survey on GRPs in sanitary and phytosanitary measures. To take part in the survey, please email foodsafetynetwork@usda.gov. Your responses will provide essential input to improve the use of GRPs and develop effective, transparent and inclusive SPS measures.