"The challenge in my view is how to cope with trade practices that undermine demand for Africa's goods and services, mainly due to different forms of subsidies and tariff in the developed world," Ugandan Finance Minister Gerald Ssendaula told the opening session of the conference.
The "Mainstreaming Trade Policy in National Development Strategies" conference will also receive a report on Africa's foreign debt situation, to be tabled before a meeting of finance ministers starting on Friday.
"Africa needs to marshall all its efforts to negotiate the removal of unfair trade practices and this will need concerted negotiations," Ssendaula added.
The UN Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) chief Kindsley Amoako urged that Africa "should not liberalise its economies blindly, but should adopt dynamic trade policies that go beyond protection and revenue maximization."
"Evidence suggests that although Africa has liberalised extensively, this openness has not translated into growth," Amoako said.
Ssendaula agreed, saying that liberalisation and macro-economic stability was necessary, but not sufficient for a formidable export sector in Africa, where there is a poor infrastructure.
The meeting hopes to develop the continent's collective voice in negotiations at the international front, including trade negotiations.
Opening remarks at the meeting noted that Africa's world export share had declined from 3,9% in 1970 to 1,9% in 2001, a negligible percentage in world trade.
The meetings come ahead of the annual meeting of the African Development Bank and an ECA symposium in Kampala from the weekend, which several heads of state are due to attend. - Sapa-AFP
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