The African Union Commission signs an MoU with the International Trade Center

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July 15, 2015

Press Release No. 163/2015

15, July 2015 – Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The African Union Commission (AUC) signed today a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the International Trade Centre (ITC) to support a range of critical activities and programmes for the Department of Trade and Industry.

H.E. Mrs Fatima Haram Acyl, Commissioner for Trade and Industry and Ms. Arancha González, the Executive Director of the International Trade Centre (ITC)

The purpose of this MoU is to provide the framework for cooperation between the Commission and the ITC for developing and implementing programmes that support the priorities of the Commission as enunciated in the AUC Strategic Plan 2014-2017. Also, the Commission and ITC have a shared vision and mutual interest in sustainable economic and trade development through continued improvements in business practice, cross border partnership, and the creation of a supportive enabling environment in developing countries.

The Commission and the ITC have already partnered in the past, including in the framework of a Memorandum of Understanding signed at Geneva on 27 February 2007 for pursuing the objective of achieving sustainable economic and trade development and for establishing a framework of bilateral cooperation in the key selected areas. The original MOU expired in 2010 and discussions on the successor memorandum started in 2014.

The Current MoU focuses on six key priority areas where the ITC will add value namely:

- Facilitating trade and market intelligence for SME productivity and competitiveness;

- Supporting regional economic integration and South-South trade;

- Connecting trade to value chains, diversification and link to export markets;

- Strengthening trade and investment support institutions including labour market institutions;

- Promoting and mainstreaming inclusiveness and green trade;

- Building a conductive business environment and labour related trade policies.

This MoU will remain in force until 31 December 2018.

For more information, please contact: Mr. James Maringwa, Expert - Trade-Related Results Based Planning - Email: MaringwaJ@africa-union.org

Media contacts:

Patient Atcho, Department of Trade and Industry – Tel: + 251 912 610 485 - Email: atchop@africa-union.org

For further information:

Directorate of Information and Communication | African Union Commission I E-mail: DIC@african-union.org I Web Site: www.au.int I Addis Ababa | Ethiopia

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