Samoa
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Report by Samoa
The Treaty establishing the East African Community (EAC) came into force on 7 July 2000 thus a new beginning of the revived EAC. The EAC has six partner States namely Burundi Kenya Rwanda South Sudan Tanzania and Uganda. The EAC Customs Union came into force on 1 January 2005 and the Common Market on 1 July 2010. English is the official language of communication within the community policy structures.
Concluding Remarks by the Chairperson of the Trade Policy Review Body, H.E. Mr. Manuel A.J. Teehankee of the Philippines at the Trade Policy Review of Samoa, 10 and 12 April 2019
This third joint Review of East African Community (EAC) Member countries has provided us with a good opportunity to assess the developments in their trade policies and practices in the context of their regional integration initiatives since their previous joint Review in 2012. We now have a better understanding of their trade regimes and the challenges they are facing.
Introduction
The Trade Policy Review Mechanism (TPRM) was first established on a trial basis by the GATT contracting parties in April 1989. The Mechanism became a permanent feature of the World Trade Organization under the Marrakesh Agreement which established the WTO in January 1995.
Report by the WTO Secretariat
The East African Community (EAC) consists of Burundi Kenya Rwanda Tanzania Uganda and South Sudan (which is not yet a WTO Member). Agriculture remains the key driver of the economies of the EAC countries but the services sector is the main contributor to their GDP. In fact most of the populations (about 80%) live in rural areas and depend on agriculture for their livelihood. High costs of doing business limit the importance of manufacturing to these economies while recent oil discoveries mainly in Kenya and Uganda are expected to boost the economic development of the countries. Nonetheless EAC countries face various socioeconomic challenges despite their favourable conditions for agriculture their important sources of renewable energy and their total population of over 168.2 million. With the exception of Kenya they all remain least developed countries (LDCs) and are yet to significantly diversify their economies.
Trade Policy Review: Samoa 2019
“Trade Policy Reviews” analyse the trade policies and practices of each member of the WTO. The reviews consist of three parts: an independent report by the WTO Secretariat a report by the government and the concluding remarks by the Chair of the WTO’s Trade Policy Review Body. The opening section - “key trade facts” - provides a visual overview of the WTO member’s major exports/imports main export destinations origins for its imports and other key data. This edition looks into the trade practices of Samoa.