Can the 2008 EU Cariforum Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) still be made to work to the region’s advantage, or is its economic promise fading? To a significant extent the answer to this question is about how best to encourage a private sector response.
Unfortunately, despite exhortations and endless meetings and seminars in the region, it is hard to find any evidence that any new use is being made by the private sector of the trade and investment aspects of the agreement, other than in relation to the improved access it offers in the area of commodity exports.
The response, if any view at all is expressed, is for the most part disinterest or a belated awareness that, in manufacturing in particular, many enterprises are too small and are not export ready. In contrast, the few that
