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ECONOMIC

R[FL[CTIONS

ON AFRICA

Interview with

Mariarosaria Iorio

Political analyst

For the last couple ofyears no definitive conclusions, but there riods. Normally, funding is given to
Mariarosaria has been tra- are sectors that are more vulnerable countries with respect to their per-
velling all over Africa deli- thanothers, andwherethejoblosses formance. I would say that it is not
vering training courses. would mainly concern women. The too difficult to obtain these funds,
textile industry is one of them. but the planning of activities may
take time. However, I do think that
We were curious to learn
Q: It is often said that too many the EUistheinstitutionandthe orga-
more about what is happe-
women in a profession make nization that best structures the dis-
ning at the grassroots level.
wages stagnate. bursement of funds and assistance.
Our local perspective and
what is happening in the
I would rather say that it is the fact Q: How does it work in prac-
field are not the same. She thatwomenare often employedinla- tice?
has also published a lot of bour-intensive industries requiring

articles on different econo- little or no qualifications. These jobs There is an agreement between a
mic issues and we have had are notwell paid. Women acceptless country and the European Union,
the pleasure and honour qualified jobs, because these are the to which there is an overall package
of publishing them in this ones that provide rapid employment covering the implementation of the
journal. opportunities. They are often preca- Cotonou Agreement. This started in
rious with low wages. Since women 2000 and we are now entering the
are also in charge of managing fami- eleventh phase.
ly affairs-pregnancy, children and
Q: What is your background? the family situation-in many cases The Cotonou Agreement resulted
they work in areas where wages are from the Lom6 Agreement, which
I was trained as a political scientist low and the working conditions are defined market access for African,
and specialized later in economic the least favourable. Caribbean and Pacific products
policy. I was the head of office for a reaching Europe. The first Lom6
network of women's organizations Q: You now work as an expert Convention (Lom6 I), which came
located here in Geneva. In this ca- for the European Union. Could intoforceinApril ig76, was designed
pacity, I followed in particular the you ten us about what you do? to provide a new framework for coo-
talks of the World Trade Organiza- peration between the then European
tion and economic discussions from I am a trainer on procedures for the Community (EC) and developing
a civil society point of view, taking awarding of grants by the European African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP)
into account the impact that trade Development Fund for Africa, Carib- countries. It had two main aspects.
and commerce could have on social bean and the Pacific. I work in an Firstly, it provided for most ACP
policy and women's issues. The top- environment that was fixed by the agriculhiral and mineral exports to
ics were, for instance: how trade Cotonou Agreement covering 2000 enter the EC free of duty. Preferen-
liberalization can adversely affect to 2020, and there is a programme tial access based on a quota system
women's employment. There are that covers three- to five-year pe- was agreed for products, such as

I 22 The Geneva region