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business coinimuiity and govei'n-
ments in a paiticrilar way. hi ti'uth I also want to
and ii'i fact, we want to build tlie mention tl'iat iii
same sets of competences-but tlie Caribbean
tlie way iii wlucli yori will stiuctu- tliere is a regio-
re and enable it will depend ripon nal negotiating
a given culttire. madiinei'y tliat
lias been crea-
Q: When we }ook at the ted to 100k at a
African, Caribbean and Pacific solution for
(ACP) Group of states-seven- tliese really
ty-nine members of ivhich sn'iall island sta-
forty-seven are African coun- tes-coruih'ies
tries-we don't hear inucli witli veiy liini-
about Caribbean and Pacific ted capacity and
issues. Do you have in ITC a dif- ves-y limited
ferent strategy for these other lirrman resour-
member states? ces-enablii'ig
tliem to respoi'id
Yes, we do liave prograini'nes for to all tl'ie major
tliese parts of tlie world. However, n e g o t iati 0 11 S
people iii the coruihy? This is tlie
we don't divide tlie world into tliat are taliig place. I tlffnk it is a
most critical thing!
ACP or non-ACP states. We have veiy iiiterestiiig model tliat corild
a Latiii Ainei'ican and Caiibbean be replicated in many otlier
region, Afi'ica (excludiitg Noith regions wliere lirunan resorirces Yet, wlien yori are faced witli
liaving to just lceep tlie fires bur-
Afi'ica and Djibouti wlffcli are are limited-)ut witli tlie laio-
niiig, yori don't liave IIIIICII oppor-
pait of tlie Arab grorip of states), wledge base-so as to lielp corin-
tiuiity to tliii'ilc aborit tlie funire in
tlie Centi'al and &iropean states, h'ies inove their negotiations for-
a reflective way. I am conviiiced
plus Asia and tlie Pacific. Tliat is ward.
tliat ITC lias tlie means aiid tlie
liow ITC divides rip its coruihies.
capability for tlie lciitd of dialogue
Q: How can ITC be involved in
allowing tliese reflections to talce
It is very important for us to take giving a real new boost to these
place. We can lielp tliem to exa-
into considetation the experience agreements?
n'iine soine opportunities and to
of the ACP-a well established
plan liow tl'iey can take advantage
political grouping-and utilize The big cl'iallei'ige is to detei'i'i'ii+ie
of tlie EPAs. In my view, tliis is
the relationships that we have what we actually want orit of
tlie inissing piece.
with them in order to look at the tliese EPAs ai'id liow tliey are
common issues in the ACP, such going to lielp us acl'iieve our
Indeed, tliere is a fair ainoruit of
as, for instance, the Economic national goals?
analysis talang place but there is
Partnership Agreements (EPAs)
not tliat IIIIICII vision. Tliey are not
as they ciurently stand. One of tlie probleins we face in

moving foi'ward and tliat is tlie
the developing world is tlie lack
big cliallenge. Tlie question is
We nuist not forget tliat all ACP of capacity to rmderstand wliat is
liow can I take tlie t'islc to move
corintiies are cu'rently veiy focu- liappening iii our counh'ies and
foi'ward 011 an rmcliaited course
sed on EPAs. So we, at ITC, liave wliere tlie real oppoihuiities are!
and talce my cormhy witli me ?
to 100k at wliat is our response to Politics is actually domiiiated by
0 tlie issues tliat ACP is faciiig, and traditional sectors wlio liave well- In fact, we liave been able to do
liow can we acnially find solu- developed macliiiieiy to keep the
tliis +nore in tlie least-developed
tions. We tlien tiy to find out wlio statiis qrio in place.
corinh'ies ofAsia. Now we liave to
are tl'ie coini'non paiti'iers. For
find a way to inake it more suc-
instai'ice, in the Cai'ibbeaii and tlie We all IGIOW tliat new industries -
cessfiil in Afi'ica. I can say tliat I
Pacific-where yori liave many - "su+isliine iiidrish'ies" as opposed
ain veiy coi'i'unitted to h'ying to
COITIIIIOII problems like tliose of to "sunset iiidush'ies"-are tlie
find ways in wl'iicli we can be
small island states-it is a fact fiitiire for orir people. However,

inore transfonnational iii Afi'ican
tliat botli tlie European Union because of tlie status qrio, we
coruih'ies. I am going to inake tliis
(EU) and tlie Coinmonwealtli doi'i't liave a real voice. I tliii* that
one of main IIIY cliallenges liere at
Secretariat are iinpoitant players ITC's role liere is to lielp people
ITC.
and potential partners lielping understand a certain mnnber of

ITC solve some of tlie in'ipoitant important points: wliat are tl'ie
Q: Lets insist on tliese "old " pro-
lSSlleS. tra+isfoi'ination eleinents tliat one
ducts to be transfoi'ined in
can derive froin tlie economy?
"modern " ones. Sugar corild be a
InAfrica-where the majority of Where are tliose new opporUuii-
good exa+nple. In many ACP
ACP states is found-we have a ties? How to transfonn sometliing
countries, in Afi'ica or elsewliere,
much wider scope in temis of tl'iat's old into sometliing new, tliat
srigar was somewliat " abandoi'i-
parhership with the people who can really lift tlie liveliliood of tlie
ned " by producers. However
are interested in finding solutions
to the ACP issues.
10 2 2007 Diva
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