Cotu supports delay in signing EU trade deal

Cotu Secretary-General Francis Atwoli, who has said the union support the East African Community's decision to put off signing a regional trade deal with the European Union. PHOTO | DIANA NGILA | NATION MEDIA GROUP

In Summary

• The East African Community put off signing the agreements after Tanzania and Burundi backtracked on a regional trade deal with the EU.
• Mr Atwoli said opening markets in the region to unfettered free access by European goods will hamper the area's efforts to industrialise.

By NATION REPORTER
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The Central Organisation of Trade Unions (Cotu) has said it supports the East African Community's decision to put off signing a regional trade deal with the European Union.

Cotu Secretary-General Francis Atwoli said opening markets in the region to unfettered free access by European goods will hamper the area's efforts to industrialise.

Mr Atwoli cautioned Kenya not to sign the agreement against the wishes of East African Community (EAC) member states, saying it would affect regional integration.

“[The] Kenya government should restrain itself from being the 'European Ambassador' to lobby the rest of the Member States of the East Africa Community into signing the EPAs,” he said in a statement on Friday.

Mr Atwoli said it is wrong for the Kenyan government to look at only the horticulture and flower industries that will benefit from the deal at the expense of many other sectors.

On Thursday, the EAC put off signing the agreements after Tanzania and Burundi backtracked on a regional trade deal with the European Union.

A meeting of East African heads of state in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, resolved to postpone the signing until January 1, 2017 instead of the October 2016 deadline after Tanzania insisted on a delay pending discussions on how the deal would affect the region’s manufacturing.

Kenya and Rwanda were the first to sign the agreement in Brussels, while Uganda had shown a willingness to sign it.