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Young People Influence Trade Policies in Africa, Caribbean and Pacific

4 April 2006

Story by Tahani Karrar

Young People Influence Trade Policies in Africa, Caribbean and Pacific

Young people are helping African, Caribbean and Pacific governments to reduce poverty and increase sustainable development by helping to formulate, negotiate and implement the latest trade policies, as part of the Commonwealth Secretariat, European Commission, Organisation Intergovernmentale de la Francophone (OIF) and ACP Secretariat initiative: Hubs and Spokes.

Alex Rawlinson, 26, is British-French and a young Trade Policy Analyst (TAP) in Maputo, Mozambique.

He said: "I first heard about the Hubs and Spokes programme from the Overseas Development Institute (ODI) where I was going to be a fellow. The Hubs and Spokes was part of a programme discussed by ODI and ComSec. It was agreed ODI fellows on trade issues would also help pilot the Hubs and Spokes programme."

Mr Rawlinson has been posted for two years to work as an economist in the Technical Unit for International Trade in the Ministry of Industry and Trade in Mozambique. His role as a TAP in the Hubs and Spokes programme involves a mix of technical assistance and capacity building.

He said: "Technical assistance is when my head, the National Director for International Relations in the Ministry, asks me directly to provide analysis or advice for the negotiation and implementation of trade policies.

"Capacity building involves working with other departments in the Ministry, discussing and researching issues with colleagues. For example, it can include helping them to find relevant data to get their work done, explaining an economic concept related to international trade or giving support and assistance on computer programmes like excel."

At present, Mr Rawlinson is working on ongoing negotiations related to moving the SADC region, to which Mozambique belongs, beyond a Free Trade Area to a Customs Union. A Free Trade Area allows goods to be imported and exported without paying duties, but significant border controls remain. A Customs Union will more fully dissolve the barriers between Mozambique and the other countries, and thus will promote cross-border trade further.

He said: "Hubs and Spokes has taught me to work in a less structured environment. One of the big challenges is the enormous human resource and financial constraints, so few people and so much work to do. I've learnt a lot about diplomacy and learning to deal with people. I've learnt about how political decisions get made, not always depending on technical details, but also having to take into account other constraints."

Anju Keetharuth, 30, is from Mauritius and is a TAP. She is a principal economist in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade in Suva, Fiji. This is her first time in the South Pacific.

She said "I have been in Fiji since October 2004 and I'm finding Fiji very interesting and challenging. It is very similar to Mauritius culturally as it is also a multi-ethnic religious small island developing state. For me settling in was not that difficult as everyone was very welcoming at work."

Ms Keetharuth works with three other colleagues in the ministry's External Trade Division.

She said: "The division I'm working in is very small, there are only four of us so there is less scope for specialisation. We all have to multi-task, including things like administration work such as organising workshops and consultations. My work in Fiji is therefore not purely that of an economist."

Although Ms Keetharuth is involved more in the implementation rather than negotiation of trade policies in Fiji, she feels that she has learnt a lot from the programme.

She said: "I would certainly recommend Hubs and Spokes Project because it's a privilege to be an 'insider' in a government system. It makes it easier to work and gives you a real feel of what's going on - for me it's been a wonderful working experience because of this. It's a major shift from academia to a real work environment and there on-the-job learning is the norm."

Elise McAuley, 25, is British-Australian and a TAP in the programme. She is a Senior Trade Officer with Trade Division in the Department of Trade and Industry in Papua New Guinea, based in Port Moresby.

She said: "Hubs and Spokes has been an incredible experience for me. I've gained understanding on issues affecting Papua New Guinea, in particular in its trade policies. I have had the opportunity to help in the restructuring of the Department of Trade and Industry as well as develop both personally and professionally."

For more information on how to join the Hubs and Spokes Project please contact Mr Nimrod Waniala, Project Manager, on n.waniala@commonwealth.int or Mr Elroy Turner, Assistant Project Manager, on e.turner@commonwealth.int and visit the Hub and Spokes website.