Understanding trade in services and domestic regulation

Course Overview

The services sector bears increasing relevance for economic diversification and development in Africa. However, this may only be possible if African Countries put in place policies that would enable them to benefit from trade in services. Consequently, this course aims at equipping participants with knowledge of key trade in services disciplines and their relevance in the process of preparing national regulations on services. This will be achieved through consideration of the following areas: structure of the General Agreement on Trade in Services and the key principles; key approaches in the liberalization of trade in services; underlying concepts for Trade in Services negotiations; tips in scheduling commitments; the utility of preferential services liberalization for African Countries; relevance of rules relating domestic regulation of trade in services under the GATS and their impact on ongoing domestic reform e orts in African Countries; and the need to situate service sector policy in national development plans. 

Expected learning outcomes:

• Develop a thorough understanding of key concepts in trade in services in particular those arising from AfCFTA Agreement on Trade in Services and their potential impact on Namibia.
• Gain profound knowledge regarding the options negotiated in AfCFTA trade in services negotiations including with third parties, as well as the “modus operandi” of services negotiations with advanced economies.
• Analyse potential consequences of various options in services liberalization in the context of Namibia
• Gain an understanding of recent developments in trade services agreements and their practical implications on Namibia.
• Develop practical skills on how to identify Namibia’s negotiation interests- Practical Session on scheduling Services Commitments
• Rationalize, analyse and review sector-specific cases and their relevance to Namibia’s proposed schedule of commitments. 

Content

• Understanding of services and the importance of Services for trade & development
• Overview of the conceptual basis of trade in services negotiations-

 Scheduling of Specific Commitments

• Understanding the rights of parties AfCFTA trade in services negotiations:
  • The AfCFTA Trade in Service Protocol
  • Regulatory Framework Guiding Principles
  • Sectoral analysis of the five proposed sectors and assessment of Namibia’s preparedness
• Analyse competitiveness in services, & Selected Statistics on services sectors and interpretation of schedules 

Target group

• Officials from Trade and Trade Related Ministries and parastatals, officials from Regional Economic Communities, Negotiators, and Regional Integration Practitioners. Ministries of law including attorney general offices, ministries of foreign affairs, ministries of trade and finance etc

Duration
2 Weeks

Venue and Date

Venue: Arusha, Tanzania
Date: 5 – 16 August 2024

Course Fees
$1,600