Hub & Spokes Global Meeting

'Trade policy for the ACP in a changing international and regional geopolitical context'

The Hub & Spokes Global Meeting took place at the King Fahd Palace Hotel in Dakar, Senegal on 27 - 28 June 2016.

The meeting theme was 'Trade policy for the ACP in a changing international and regional geopolitical context'. Participants in attendance included representatives from the European Union, ACP Group Secretariat, Commonwealth Secretariat and Organisation internationale de la Francophonie (OIF), as well as other experts and Hub & Spokes trade advisers.

As part of the opening ceremony, Mr Alioune Sarr, Minister of Trade, the Informal Sector, Local Product Promotion, SMEs of the Republic of Senegal outlined the importance of the Hub & Spokes Programme in Senegal, which hosts one of the Hub & Spokes II Programme Advisers. The importance of the programme was echoed by Mr Marc Boussey (Head of Cooperation, Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of Senegal) and Mr Morgan Githinji (Expert, Market Access, ACP Secretariat). Mr Paulo Kautoke (Director of Trade, Commonwealth Secretariat) and Mr Chekou Oussouman (Programme Manager, OIF) also discussed the renewed importance of the programme in the emerging trade landscape, with many countries lacking the capacity to address emerging issues.

The Global Meeting discussed emerging opportunities and challenges for the ACP in the context of a changing trade landscape, both internationally and regionally.

The Meeting sessions were as follows:

• Session I: Trade Policy and the SDGs
• Session II: ACP Countries in the Multilateral Trading System
• Session III: Regional Agenda for ACP Countries
• Session IV: Aid for Trade Partnerships

Session I discussed the role that trade can play in facilitating the realisation of the SDGs and the role of the Hub & Spokes Programme in supporting ACP countrines in this area, including mainstreaming the SDGs into national trade policies. Session II outlined that the Hub & Spokes Programme should support ACP countries in facilitating the implementation of the WTO Nairobi package, also preparing member states to adjust to emerging issues and priorities including through research and study. In Session III, it was outlined that the Hub & Spokes Programme should support ACP countries in identifying and prioritising regional priorities and initatives dealing with emerging issues, whilst also supporting the formulation of coherent regional trade policy. The final session discussed the role of the Advisers in accessing Aid for Trade resources to create synergies with the Hub & Spokes Programme and other initiatives.

For Twitter coverage of the meeting, see #HubandSpokesII.

Storify on the meeting.

Youtube video of the meeting [French].

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Opening Ceremony

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