First steering committee of the EDF EPA programme discusses progress and findings of inception report |06 March 2020
The first steering committee meeting yesterday (Photo: Jude Morel)
The First Steering Committee meeting of the 11th European Development Fund (EDF) programme for the interim Economic Partnership Agreement Programme (iEPA) was held at the department of Foreign Affairs yesterday afternoon.
Led by the European Union (EU) ambassador to Seychelles Vincent Degert and secretary of state for Foreign Affairs Ambassador Barry Faure, the first meeting aimed to update members of the committee on the programme while also presenting the findings of the inception report the purpose of which was to review the original Terms of Reference (ToR) of the Technical Assistance (TA) within the current context, and to outline the activities to achieve the required objectives. Work on the report commenced during the inception phase of the project on November 28, 2019 with the signing and launch of the Technical Assistance service contract for long term technical assistance to oversee the implementation of the 11th EDF EPA programme.
In his opening address, Ambassador Faure outlined the aim of the programme which is to enhance the capacity of the public and private sectors to reap the full potential of the current iEPA and increase Seychelles’ competitive integration into the regional and international trading system.
He continued on to note the intended result areas of the programme and the objectives of the first meeting of the steering committee to present and discuss the final draft Inception Report prepared by key experts nominated by GOPA worldwide consultants and to address any other business related to the management or implementation of the programme.
“The programme has three result areas, which outline the benefits of the programme – improved capacity of key government institutions in managing and implementing the EPA, including via better trade policy formulation and trade negotiations; improved capacity of the private operators in exploiting value chains and high value addition using environmentally friendly production techniques; and improved environment for private sector development,” he said.
Ambassador Faure went on to note the role of the Steering Committee who will meet twice annually to oversee and validate the direction and policy of the programme.
The Steering Committee was established as a key structure in the organisation and implementation of the programme and includes the service contract for long-term technical assistance awarded to the consortium led by GOPA Worldwide, who was also represented at the meet yesterday by consultant Patrick Krause, and the procurement of equipment and other infrastructure through a programme estimate, managed and implemented by the Ministry of Finance, Trade, Investment and Economic Planning.
Among the members of the Steering Committee are principal secretary for trade Cillia Mangroo, chief executive of the National Institute for Science, Technology and Innovation (Nisti) Xavier Estico, principal secretary in the department of Blue Economy Kenneth Racombo and Patrick Course, a representative of the Ministry of Finance, Trade, Investment and Economic Planning.
In concluding his address, Ambassador Faure urged all members of the committee to support and put forth their contributions towards the successful implementation of the programme.
EU Ambassador Vincent Degert also addressed the committee noting the importance of the project for both Seychelles and the EU.
“Trade has always been an important element of our partnership. And we can understand why; as a small island state, Seychelles depends a lot on imports and exports. The EU is the first trade partner of Seychelles and Seychelles’ first export market. Today, more than 55 percent of Seychelles exports go the EU market. Exports consist principally of fish and fish products – estimated at 95.6 percent in 2018,” he said.
Ambassador Degert also commended the Seychelles government on its vision to open its market to the EU and the world and for their pro-activeness during the negotiations in November and during the second round held in January 2020.
“The country’s strong commitment to the EPA is another milestone in the trade development architecture. Seychelles rightly realises the prospects that the EPA offers to pursue trade with the EU, via complete quota-free and duty-free access for all its products,” he said.
“The EPA is not merely a trade instrument, it should be perceived as a development tool. From the Financing Agreement that was signed in 2018, you will see that the programme simultaneously impacts on at least seven sustainable development goals (SDGs) including decent work and growth, zero hunger, no poverty, gender equality, sustainable consumption and production, climate action and life below water. This is to show how the EPA is expected to provide an integrated approach to assist the government of Seychelles in addressing its challenges,” he said, adding that it can be a vehicle to implement the government’s National Development Strategy 2019-2023, approved in August 2019.
Furthermore, Ambassador Degert made note of two important envelopes to further assist government in meeting its trade expansion objectives including €34 million for the expansion and rehabilitation of Port Victoria, through a mix of soft loans from the European Investment Bank and the Agence Française de Développement, as well as a grant from the EU and a second envelope of €58.2 million which was successfully negotiated last month under the new Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement to reinforce cooperation on monitoring, control and surveillance of fishing activities, assisting in putting in place necessary to local fishing activities, supporting the development of small-scale fisheries.
The meeting continued with the presentation of the inception report findings and further discussions.
More details will be made available to the public in the coming days through the Ministry of Finance, Trade, Investment and Economic Planning.
Laura Pillay