1. Economic Commission for Africa Office for North Africa Twenty Third Meeting of the Intergovernmental Committee of Experts (ICE) - Rabat, Morocco 10-13 March 2008 1 NORTH AFRICA AND INTERNATIONAL AND REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT AGENDAS

2. Economic Commission for Africa Office for North Africa Twenty Third Meeting of the Intergovernmental Committee of Experts (ICE) - Rabat, Morocco 10-13 March 2008 2 Objective of the report Remain informed of major international summits To be informed on how North Africa is active in these events In which measure NA countries are taking into account these agendas in their national policies

3. Economic Commission for Africa Office for North Africa Twenty Third Meeting of the Intergovernmental Committee of Experts (ICE) - Rabat, Morocco 10-13 March 2008 3 Themes Multilateral trade agreements and trade liberalisation (WTO and Doha) Environment and Sustainable Development Follow up of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Financing for Development : the Monterrey Consensus MDGs and Human Development NEPAD, Governance and Development Barcelona + 10 and new Perspectives in Mediterranean Regional Integration and Economic Cooperation in North Africa

4. Economic Commission for Africa Office for North Africa Twenty Third Meeting of the Intergovernmental Committee of Experts (ICE) - Rabat, Morocco 10-13 March 2008 4 Multilateral trade agreements and trade liberalisation (WTO and Doha) Doha (2001): Launch - development mandate Cancun (2003): stock-taking and a reality check that ended in a deadlock The July Framework (2004): progress on issues that had stalled negotiations Hong-Kong Ministerial (2005): Some further progress but with lower ambition Pause (July-Nov 2006): as no agreement on modalities by 30 April 2006 deadline Publication of draft modalities (July 2007)

5. Economic Commission for Africa Office for North Africa Twenty Third Meeting of the Intergovernmental Committee of Experts (ICE) - Rabat, Morocco 10-13 March 2008 5 WTO: Positions and Prospects – what the Stalement was about Lamy’s Triangle US moves on Ag. domestic support (12 – 18 billions US$ OTDS ?) EU moves on ag. tariff cuts (G20: 54% cuts) Advanced DC move on NAMA (Swiss 20 ?) Focus on Domestic Support, Market Access and NAMA

6. Economic Commission for Africa Office for North Africa Twenty Third Meeting of the Intergovernmental Committee of Experts (ICE) - Rabat, Morocco 10-13 March 2008 6 Environment and Sustainable Development (2) ● In preparation of Bali, Tunisia has organised a conference on “ International Solidarity on Climate Change Strategies for African and the Mediterranean regions ”, in November 2007 ● Back to Back, ECA-NA has organised an Expert Group Meeting on Sustainable Development ● In Bali ECA has presented the Climate Information for Development (Clim- Dev Africa) programme: Clim-Dev will scale up the capacities of key institutions and stakeholders to improve climate-related data and observation, information services, policies and risk management practices in all climate-sensitive sectors ● ECA announced the establishment of the African center for climate policy studies to provide African countries with analytical work and capacity for mainstreaming climate-related concerns in the frameworks of their development policies, strategies and plans

7. Economic Commission for Africa Office for North Africa Twenty Third Meeting of the Intergovernmental Committee of Experts (ICE) - Rabat, Morocco 10-13 March 2008 7 Follow up of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) ICT4ALL Tunis+2 organized in Tunis (November 20-21 2007), on PPP in CIT How to increase PPP in developing countries? Third Global Knowledge (GK3) conference in Kuala Lumpur (December 11-13 2007) –How can emerging people be supported to be the drivers of making the future? –How can emerging markets overcome the obstacles that divide the demand from the supply side? –How can emerging technologies provide the relevant tools to help us achieve a better future for all?

8. Economic Commission for Africa Office for North Africa Twenty Third Meeting of the Intergovernmental Committee of Experts (ICE) - Rabat, Morocco 10-13 March 2008 8 Financing for Development : the Monterrey Consensus ● A 2007 General Assembly Resolution (GA resolution 61/191) has announced a “ Follow-up International Conference on Financing for Development ” to be held in Doha, Qatar November 29 - December 2, 2008 ● October 2007 High Level Policy Dialogue was held on 23-25 to prepare Doha ● At this mid-point many countries are not one track to achieve MDGs ● implementing Monterrey commitments is sufficient for the MDGs realization ● It ’ s urgent to fulfill the commitments made at Monterrey ● At the continental level, ECA with AfDB and Ghana have organised a Financing for Development Conference in may 2007 in Accra on Infrastructure for Growth – The Energy Challenge ● The main focus was on feasible options for addressing the financing needs of the energy sector and how to enhance the contribution of this sector to growth and poverty reduction in Africa

9. Economic Commission for Africa Office for North Africa Twenty Third Meeting of the Intergovernmental Committee of Experts (ICE) - Rabat, Morocco 10-13 March 2008 9 MDGs and Human Development First African conference on Human development, in Rabat 6-7 April 2007 45 African countries and 7 NA countries. Focus on the role of African cooperation in MDG ’ s achievement. Next conference in 2009 in Gabon ECA-NA makes a follow-up of the MDGs in the region every 2 years. Next one presented during the 2009 ICE MDGs in the arab region in 2007 (UN and LAS) Report highlights critical development issues faced by male and female youth in the region NA countries are going to achieve many MDGs But efforts still need to be done particularly on –Men/Women equality on labor market –ICTs –HIV/AIDS and Tuberculosis prevention and detection

10. Economic Commission for Africa Office for North Africa Twenty Third Meeting of the Intergovernmental Committee of Experts (ICE) - Rabat, Morocco 10-13 March 2008 10 NEPAD, Governance and Development ● African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) : 27 countries ● NA countries Status - Egypt and Sudan / Preparatory Stage: Countries sign a Memorandum of Understanding - Stage 2 : nc review visit for widespread stakeholder consultation - Stage 3 : nc draft report - Algeria / Stage 4 : recommendations and final Country Review report and Programme of Action submitted to the Forum of heads of States of the APRM for the peer review itself - Stage 5: nc Country Review Report and Programme of Action are publicized

11. Economic Commission for Africa Office for North Africa Twenty Third Meeting of the Intergovernmental Committee of Experts (ICE) - Rabat, Morocco 10-13 March 2008 11 Barcelona + 10 and new Perspectives in Mediterranean (1) EU-Tunisia Free Trade Agreement since January 1 st 2008 Transitory period very positive (import coverage with EU 76,7% in 1995, 92,7% in 2006) Tariffs dismantlement for the fourth list (sensitive products) Interesting for the other countries that have signed (Morocco, Egypt and Algeria) Mauritania has joined the process and Libya is an observer. Sudan is involved in EPA negotiations

12. Economic Commission for Africa Office for North Africa Twenty Third Meeting of the Intergovernmental Committee of Experts (ICE) - Rabat, Morocco 10-13 March 2008 12 Barcelona + 10 and new Perspectives in Mediterranean (2) Since the resumption (Lisboa 2001) of the dialogue 5+5, this policy dialogue structure has been widened to defense and security, tourism, migration and regional integration The last meeting has focused on the definition of a program of common work to support the regional integration in the Maghreb Also new perspectives with the French Initiative on the Mediterranean Union Several bilateral meetings New: South-North presidency Need to be more precise to asses the implications for NA countries

13. Economic Commission for Africa Office for North Africa Twenty Third Meeting of the Intergovernmental Committee of Experts (ICE) - Rabat, Morocco 10-13 March 2008 13 Regional Integration and Economic Cooperation in North Africa Many new initiatives in 2007 AMU has recommended to launch the Maghreban Bank for Investment and Foreign Trade (BMICE) before June 2008 The Union of Maghreban Employers (UME) was created in February 17 th 2007 The Union of Maghreban Banks (UBM) held its first General Assembly, in June 2007, with more than 60 banks and financial institutions Several bilateral agreements

14. Economic Commission for Africa Office for North Africa Twenty Third Meeting of the Intergovernmental Committee of Experts (ICE) - Rabat, Morocco 10-13 March 2008 14 Conclusion North African countries have actively participated in major international socio-economic events They are increasingly including these agendas in the framework of their national development policies Some remaining issues, related to the harmonization of national policies that are exacerbated with multiple RECs membership Some additional efforts are required to achieve all MDGs by 2015

15. Economic Commission for Africa Office for North Africa Twenty Third Meeting of the Intergovernmental Committee of Experts (ICE) - Rabat, Morocco 10-13 March 2008 15 Thank You! Nassim Oulmane Oulmane @uneca.org