Trade has the potential to be a powerful engine for Africa’s development, so a failure to achieve a trade deal over the next couple of months would be unacceptable.  As businesses investing across the continent, we recognise the importance of a successful and ambitious outcome to the current trade round – for the global economy, for Africa and its people, and for business.  We call on governments, as an urgent priority, to reinvigorate their efforts to achieve a positive conclusion to the Doha Development Round.

A collapse of the talks would undermine the credibility of the WTO – leaving the rules-based trading system increasingly marginalised and global economic growth would inevitably suffer. If the talks are to succeed, developed countries have to eliminate policies that undermine growth in developing countries. Such policies are both anti-poor and anti-business.

Key priorities are:

1. An end to trade-distorting agricultural subsidies;

2. The provision of duty-free and quota-free access for all products exported from Least Developed Countries, along with relaxation of Rules of Origin requirements for Least Developed Countries;

3. Support, through additional donor funding and technical support (“Aid for Trade”), to build Africa’s capacity to trade including support for trade facilitation and customs reform;

4. The reduction of tariff and non-tariff barriers to trade between African countries – as part of the much needed effort by African governments to stimulate intra-African trade.  This must include to improved regional infrastructure and enhanced customs administration.

Led by Unilever, British American Tobacco, SITPRO (the UK's trade facilitation agency) and Diageo, Business Action for Improving Customs Administration in Africa (BAFICAA) is a flagship trade facilitation programme of Business Action for Africa.  BAFICAA's primary objective is to achieve measurable and meaningful progress in customs reform by retaining a strong private sector lead while working in a wider co-operative relationship with governments, donors and other stakeholders in Africa. 

On the basis of a business-focused study in 20 countries, recommendations were developed.  Implementation is being planned in East Africa (Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania) with the private sector and government authorities, and with the support of PricewaterhouseCoopers.  The focus has been on six areas: the need for fast-track customs services for the compliant and low risk taxpayers and traders; the need to support change in customs administration; automation of customs processes and procedures; a service charter between the customs services department and the private sector; avoiding duplication and unnecessary bureaucracy in Post Clearance Audits and valuation processes; and training, accreditation and certification for customs agencies.  Discussions are also underway in Nigeria, and are planned in Southern Africa.

Read the BAFICAA background study.

Read the overview document of BAFICAA.

Read the presentation made on BAFICAA at the Commonwealth Business Council / Business Action for Africa 2007 Africa Business Forum, 5 June 2007.