PAMA Pushes For Business Role In Monitoring AfCFTA, External Partnerships

The Pan-African Manufacturers Association (PAMA), has called on African governments and regional institutions to institutionalise private-sector participation in the negotiation, implementation and review of economic agreements.

The Association said Africa has built an extensive network of bilateral and multilateral economic relationships, including the EU-Africa partnership, Forum on China-Africa Cooperation and Africa-India engagement, as well as regional arrangements under the African Continental Free Trade Area, AfCFTA, but their industrial impact depends on how well they reflect commercial realities.

PAMA noted that while governments and regional institutions have the mandate to negotiate and conclude international agreements, businesses are the eventual users of many of their economic provisions.

“Governments and regional institutions have the mandate to negotiate and conclude international agreements, but businesses are the eventual users of many of their economic provisions. Manufacturers, investors and other private-sector operators understand the commercial conditions required to use market access, invest, source inputs and build cross-border operations,” the Association stated.

It observed that business membership organisations are often brought into the process after major negotiating positions have been established, leaving important commercial considerations outside the design of agreements.

According to PAMA, economic agreements should be designed with implementation in mind, as commitments on market access, investment, standards and cooperation have greater industrial value when they reflect conditions under which businesses can actually operate.

The Association said this requires structured consultation before agreements are concluded, followed by mechanisms through which business organisations can monitor implementation and identify emerging barriers.

“For manufacturers, the practical value of an agreement is determined by the extent to which its provisions can be converted into investment, production and trade,” it said.

PAMA called for business organisations to contribute sector evidence on tariff and non-tariff barriers, standards, rules of origin, logistics, financing and market access before negotiating positions are finalised.

It added that development institutions and international partners also have a role in supporting evidence-based consultation, sector studies and mechanisms that connect policy commitments with business implementation.

“The objective is not to transfer the responsibility for international negotiations from governments to business. It is to ensure that economic agreements are informed by the businesses that will ultimately invest, produce, employ and trade under them,” PAMA said.

The Association reaffirmed its commitment to working with governments, relevant authorities and development institutions to strengthen the connection between policy and industry and ensure African manufacturers are meaningfully engaged in economic partnerships.