Alhagie Jobe, the deputy editor-in-chief of the Daily Observer newspaper early this morning, Monday 21st, 2011, left Banjul for Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to the first African Trade Forum which will be held from 22-24th November 2011 at the United Nations Conference Centre (UNCC).

The forum is organised by the African Trade Policy Centre (ATPC) of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), in collaboration with the African Union (AU) and the African Development Bank (ADB).

The primary goal of the forum is to enhance advocacy for trade as the engine of growth in Africa, and to put trade at the centre of Africa's development agenda.

The synergy is expected to mobilise all the different trade constituencies across Africa to debate and exchange views on the critical issues relating to intra-African trade, and Africa's trade with the rest of the world.

The stakeholders who will participate in the forum include policymakers and high-level government officials, private sector (large, medium and small-scale entrepreneurs), civil society, parliamentarians, academia, Regional Economic Communities (RECs), corridor management institutions, export promotion agencies, development partners, gender advocates and the media.

During the course of the three-day intensive sessions, delegates will deliberate and agree on common approaches and implementation strategies to address key challenges and to take advantage of opportunities in trade.

Speaking to this reporter shortly before departure, Jobe described the forum as very important saying it will also provide inputs into the African Trade Ministers Meeting and AU Summit on intra-African trade scheduled for December 2011 and January 2012 respectively, as well as the 8th World Trade Organisatioin (WTO) Ministerial meeting in Geneva in December.

He thanked the management of the Observer Company for all the support and assured that he will participate actively as expected in the challenging debate on Africa's trade.

The forum is expected to conclude with the adoption of an Accelerated Programme and Action Plan for enhancing Africa's participation in global and regional trade.



The Daily Observer (Banjul)