A deputy minister of Trade and Industry, Herbert Krapa, has commended organisers of the UPSA Law School Africa Trade Roundtable (ATR) for a successful event, describing it as an all-important platform that ought to be sustained.
“I am honoured to join you here today at this prestigious Centre for higher learning, for this all-important Roundtable Discussion,” said Mr Herbert Krapa, who was the special guest of honour at the 3rd Trade Roundtable held on Tuesday at the West Wing of the Kofi Ohene-Kondau Auditorium at UPSA.
The Africa Trade Roundtable is organised by the Centre for African Legal Studies at the UPSA Law School with support from CUTS International, a research and policy think-tank.
Mr Krapa joins the growing list of distinguished Speakers who have graced the ATR platform, including the Vice President of the Republic of Ghana, His Excellency Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, and the Secretary General of the AfCFTA Secretariat, His Excellency Wamkele Mene.
Mr. Krapa expressed gratitude to the organisers for the opportunity to share a common platform with renowned personalities whilst articulating his desire for government to incorporate recommendations and proposed Action Points that may arise from the discussions.
“I am grateful to the organisers, the UPSA Centre for African Legal Studies and CUTS International for the honour,” he said. “By initiating these series, you have set forth the resources, human and financial, required to unlock the dividend embedded therein in arguably the most relevant subject on the continent today. The speed with which you have done so is a clear vindication of the calibre of leadership at this Centre.
“I accepted to join you here today for two main reasons. First, to underscore the importance of a partnership between government and tertiary institutions in the implementation of the AfCFTA Agreement – particularly in the important areas of research and data analysis, policy formulation and capacity building.
“Second, is the timing. Two months ago, I Chaired a meeting of ECOWAS Trade Ministers in Lome, which considered and approved Draft Supplementary Acts and Operational Instruments, for the effective discharge of the Regional Competition Authority’s mandate of investigating competition issues, cross-border disputes and promotion of competition activities. This week, right here in Accra, Senior Trade Officials of AfCFTA Member States are considering among others, a Competition Policy for trading on the continent.
“Today’s Roundtable could not come at a better time, and I expect that Government would take delivery of your conclusions and proposed Action Points in similar timely and expeditious fashion,” he said.
