Workshop on Trade, Development and Global Justice

A workshop of the GLOBUS research area of Trade, Development and Global Justice was held in Johannesburg on 30 May to 1 June 2017. 

Former Secretary General of SADC (Southern African Development Community)Tomaz Salamao held an introductory talk on the workshop's first day. (Photo: Phindile Tsepetsi, Wits) 

The workshop brought together scholars and practitioners from South Africa, Norway, Mozambique, India, Ireland, China, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, and Brazil for a three-day workshop at Wits University. 

The papers and presentations covered a wide range of topics relating to three sub-themes of the research area of Trade, Development and Global Justice: EU trade relations with African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries, the trade-development nexus, and development policies comparing North-South and South-South cooperation.

The workshop was opened by a series of talks including the Head of the Wits School of Governance David Everatt (Wits), Globus coordinator Helene Sjursen (ARENA, Oslo), Trudi Hartzenberg (Trade Law Centre South Africa), Massimo De Luca (EU delegation to South Africa), Saul Levin (Trade and Industrial Policy Strategies, South Africa) and former director of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Tomaz Salamao (Wits).

EU – ACP Trade Relations

The first research session was opened by William Gumede (Wits) who asked: are the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) promoting or undermining Africa’s development? Moving from a general to a specific focus on the case of Mozambique, Cerina Banu Mussa (Ministry of Trade and Industry, Mozambique) presented an analysis of Mozambique’s trade relations with the EU and insights from the negotiations of the EU-SADC EPA.

William Gumede (Wits) kicked off day two of the workshop with a paper on South Africa's trade relationship with the EU, emphasising the need for more ‘value added’ products to be produced in South Africa. Ivor Sarakinsky (Wits) tackled the issue of renewable energy and local manufacturing in his paper. Nicolas de Zamaroczy (O.P. Jindal Global University, India) presented a paper where he compared East African Community and EU relations in the 1960s and 2000s. 

Pundy Pillay (Wits) asking a question.  (Photo: Phindile Tsepetsi, Wits) 

The trade-development nexus

The subsequent research panel was opened by Odile Mackett and Kholiswa Malindini (Wits) presenting a paper co-written with Pundy Pillay (Wits) on the link between trade and development in SADC. Krishna Vadlamannati (University College Dublin) continued by presenting the paper 'Does the EU’s “Aid for Trade” bring Justice to Trade and Development?' via Skype from Ireland.  Michelle Pressend (University of Cape Town) closed the session presenting her paper 'Changing Trade Relations – Towards climate justice, soil diversity, and food production in SADC'. 

Development policies and aid

After lunch, Dr Weiping Huang and Jian Huang (Renmin University, China) opened the first research session on the topic of development and aid discussing the potential of Official Development Assistance (ODA) for enhancing north-south cooperation. Jorge Tinta, an independent consultant from Mozambique, subsequently compared North-South vs. South-South cooperation in a case study of Mozambique. 

The final day opened with a session that gave the floor to researchers from different African countries. Blandina Kilama (REPOA,Tanzania), opened the session by among other discussing Tanzania and Vietnam’s successes and failures in exporting Cashew. Given Mutimyde (Zimbabwe) continued presenting the view from Zimbabwe. Closing the session Megan Govender (MAST Economics, Pretoria) presented a paper on social clauses as a condition for preferential trade access.

group photo
Workshop participants (Photo: Phindile Tsepetsi, Wits)

The final session was introduced by Johanne Døhlie Saltnes (ARENA) who presented a paper on donor coordination in the EU’s development policy. Pundy Pillay subsequently held a presentation on African perspectives on development aid. Finally, Renata Ribeiro (State University of Rio de Janeiro and University of South Africa), concluded the workshop presenting a paper entitled 'Perceptions of Brazilian Diplomats regarding the Agenda for International Development Cooperation'. 

Programme

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Tags: Trade and development
Published May 9, 2017 10:09 AM - Last modified Sep. 30, 2019 8:58 AM