Voices from the First Regional Executive Forum

Human rights and environment

"In drawing up our national trade promotion strategy these days we need to take into account human rights groups that are monitoring labour practices and children’s rights separately from trade unions. How do we incorporate them into the process? We are formulating a code of practice which will ensure they are consulted for their views on our proposals." – Simon Ethangatta, Chairman, Fresh Produce Exporters Association of Kenya.

"We have had the same experience, with the addition that environmental groups are also very active. Environmental issues are going to be very critical in terms of trade. We need to be able structure for inputs from environmentalists. They are concerned about use of chemicals, for example. Unions tend to be concerned with questions of pay, while children’s councils are concerned with issues of child labour and protection. The challenge for us as strategy makers is to create a structure that captures all those concerns, to respond to all the stakeholders." – Joyce Chapuma, Manager, Product and Market Development Department.

"One way round the difficulty of ensuring that an export strategy can be implemented practically in the face of these concerns is through a certification system as a component of the strategy, so that if you are exporting, say flowers to Europe, the buyer can be assured that you have met the concerns of such groups. A certification scheme or a logo for certified products can therefore be a major marketing plus." – Ron Rose, Senior Trade Commissioner, Canadian High Commission, East Africa.

"In Uganda we do not have a national export strategy as yet but we are already in the process of formulating one. Our target is the end of May next year. For current problems, the Uganda Export Promotion Board has taken the lead in helping the private sector which is fortunately organized into sector associations. In the absence of a strategy, we do take action through the existing network, for example by sourcing for financial and institutional support for sectors in temporary difficulties. But right now our action is piecemeal, though with trade policy guidelines and codes of conduct used as points of reference. The Board is proactive in advising and helping various sectors in handling new issues, e.g. horticulture where environment issues such as minimum residue control may necessitate a greater drive towards organic farming. In such cases, the Board initiates sensitisation and sourcing of technical assistance. We hope that when a national export strategy is in place there will be provision for institutional strengthening of the sector associations, because implementation has to depend on the private sector."—Florence Kata, Ag. Executive Director, Uganda Export Promotion Board.

"One of the joys of the unregulated Internet is that Canada’s online services to exporters and potential exporters (at www.exportservices.gc.ca) are available to anyone around the world." – Ron Rose.

"With regard to e-trade, the TPO has to become an agent for change, and the mindset of the TPO must be the first place where the change has to take place. For example, one year the government refused to consider reducing the import duty on computers because it would mess up its accounts. The people involved did not realize the gains they would have made rather than the administrative problems it could cause." – Daniel Mpolokoso, Managing Director, Zamnet Communications System, Zambia.

"One thing to bear in mind with regard to the question of high connectivity, is that businesses do not see the return now for such investments. If they spend US$10,000 for Internet connections, what return are they going to get if they are not going to be able to supply the market?" – Freddy Chawarsarira, Chief Executive, ZimTrade (Export Promotion Organization), Zimbabwe.

"You can’t just say, what is my return now, but how is it going to change your business? Change your business through e." – Brian Barclay, ITC

"We see two major demands in East Africa:

• to liberalize the telecommunications sector in the region in order to reduce the cost of connectivity to the Internet through competition, and
• to establish an Internal Exchange Point in each country so as to reduce cost of exchange of local information in the country by avoiding being switched to Internet exchanges in America and Europe." – Patrick Mwesiga, Technical Manager, Uganda Communications Commission.

"Many companies are concerned about e-commerce when they hear about all the fraud through the Internet. What can they do?" – Oteng Batlihoki, Director, Department of Industrial Affairs, Botswana.

"ITC can provide you a list of the places you need to go to get the information. We have all the documents you need to know where to go." – Nadia Hebboul, ITC

"As a beginner, you get overwhelmed by what is there. You feel it is not going to help you. It is not going to be an efficient way to get information. We have to find a way to make it comfortable for users. Otherwise I think it is going to take a long time." – Joyce Chapuma.

"With regard to the security of e-commerce business, you have to ask yourself: do people go to government and say we are not going to trade because transactions are not secure? Isn’t it a generic problem that faces all kinds of business?" – Paul Kukubo, 3Mice, Kenya.

"In Kenya e-trade is mandatory for exporters of cut flowers. You need to know the latest prices and be able to respond very quickly to demand. So we have made it possible for growers to sell through the Internet." – Simon Ethangatta, Chairman, Fresh Produce Exporters Association of Kenya.

"Even if you are not involved in e-business at the moment, don’t close yourself off from the possibility that traditional sectors with which you are involved will generate new types of business through e." – John Gillies, ITC.