CARIFORUM and UK EPA Study

the importance of services to the majority of CF-UK EPA partners, in conjunction with technological advances and global trends, the services dimension of goods trade should be more carefully considered. As other authors have said, “While much of the debate on economic transformation centres on transforming agriculture and moving into manufacturing, services are often an unexplored component of such strategies” (DFID-BIS Trade Policy Unit, 2016). The services dimension should therefore be explored carefully in respect of the value added in Agro food exports, which are among the main exports to the UK from CF, suggesting opportunities for UK investment in those areas that add value to the region’s agro-food exports. In effect the level of valued added in exports should be a consideration in the choice of priority sectors. However, the ability of services to complement the supply of these goods and possibilities for integration into regional and global value chains should also be a deciding factor. In the context of the UK-CF EPA explicit recognition is given to the central role of the Partnership to promote sustainable development, cooperation, and regional integration. Article 8A of the CF-UK EPA establishes the CARIFORUM-UK Technical Sub-committee on Development Cooperation (TSDC). Article 8A (3)(a), further indicates that the TDC is to advise on the best ways to support the realisation of the development cooperation and technical assistance objectives of the agreement. The sub-committee is also charged with the responsibility to monitor and update the Trade and Development Committee (TDC) on some key areas, such as: • status of implementation of the development cooperation provisions • utilisation of technical assistance for capacity building (human, legal, institutional) for implementation • the effectiveness of the support for private sector development and a trade supporting infrastructure in CARIAFORUM. • the status of CARIFORUM’s capacity to meet certain standards, including SPS, technical, labour and environmental

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