CUTS Zambia coordinator Angela Mulenga has said there is need to address the gap between economic development and trade policies in order to reduce poverty in the country. And the Consumer Unity Trust Society (CUTS) has launched the Fostering Equity and Accountability in Trading System (FEATS) project that aims at pursuing economic and social justice within and across borders.
CUTS Zambia coordinator Angela Mulenga has said there is need to address the gap between economic development and trade policies in order to reduce poverty in the country. And the Consumer Unity Trust Society (CUTS) has launched the Fostering Equity and Accountability in Trading System (FEATS) project that aims at pursuing economic and social justice within and across borders.
Speaking yesterday, Mulenga said Zambia should start addressing core issues of raising awareness for better coherence between economic development and trade policies that would contribute to poverty reduction.
“In order to address the missing link between economic development and trade policies, there is need to better understand the complex issues at the interface of trade and development through sound analytical work that is objective and is based on real needs and capacities,” she said.
Mulenga said the FEATS project would be implemented in conjunction with CUTS Geneva. FEATS is a three-year project to be undertaken in two phases aimed at enhancing positive linkages between trade and development in project countries.
She said the project also aims at developing the capacity of governments to proactively respond to trade issues, including through their involvement in policy research.
“It is believed that the organically linked activities related to research, advocacy and networking will further build the capacity of stakeholders within the project and in particular, the capacity of governments in participating countries to better understand and participate in and derive benefits from international trading system hence improving equality and accountability of the system,” said Mulenga. “The project will also generate a more coherent and pro-trade development voice in the formulation and implementation of trade and development policy issues both at national and international level.”