MEDIA RELEASE ON THE 15^TH SPECIAL MEETING OF THE COMMITTEE OF SADC MINISTERS OF TRADE AND INDUSTRY DAR ES SALAAM, UNITED REPUBLIC OF TANZANIA
27TH FEBRUARY 2004

1. The SADC Ministers of Trade and Industry met in Dar es Salaam, United Republic of Tanzania, under the Chairpersonship of Honourable Dr. Juma A. Ngasongwa (MP), Minister for Industry and Trade of the United Republic of Tanzania to consider issues pertaining to implementation of the SADC Trade Protocol and Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) negotiations under Cotonou Agreement as well as the current state of play on the Multilateral Trade Negotiations (MTNs) on the Doha Development Agenda (DDA).
2. All Member States except the DRC and Seychelles attended the meeting. The Chairperson, Honourable Dr. Juma A. Ngasongwa welcomed delegations to the United Republic of Tanzania and wished them a good stay in Dar es Salaam.
3. The Ministers reviewed the implementation of the SADC Protocol on Trade and urged Member States to remain committed to implementation of the Protocol and to observe the agreed time frames. The Ministers also urged Member States to provide information for the Trade Protocol Midterm review, which is underway.
4. The Ministers agreed to hold a dedicated Ministerial session on industry before the end of the year 2004. The Ministers stressed the need for Member States to ensure that appropriate industry experts including the private sector, attend the industry symposium scheduled for May 2004.
5. The Ministers also agreed to adopt the Africa Productive Capacity Initiative and Facility as a complement to the region's efforts of industrial cooperation.
6. The Ministers discussed the ongoing negotiations on Economic Partnership Agreement with the European Union and adopted the legal provisions, which form part of the SADC EPA negotiating guidelines. The countries that will negotiate a SADC EPA include Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, Swaziland and Tanzania. South Africa will participate as an observer.
7. The Ministers agreed to conduct the SADC EPA negotiations in two stages. The first stage would focus on Market Access issues including Rules of Origin. The second stage will focus on Trade in Services, Trade-Related Issues, Legal Provisions and Institutional Arrangements.
8. The Ministers agreed to launch the negotiations in May 2004 in Namibia.
9. SADC Trade Ministers exchanged views on the current state of play on the Multilateral Trade Negotiations on the Doha Development Agenda with a view of determining how best the region can contribute to the re-launching of negotiations. The Ministers also reaffirmed their commitment to the multilateral trading system as a basis for transparency and predictability. In this regard the Ministers emphasised the need to put back on track the Doha Development Agenda negotiations.
10. The Ministers expressed their gratitude to the Government and the People of the United Republic of Tanzania for hosting the meeting.

27th February 2004
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