A two-day sensitization workshop on the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs), yesterday commenced at the Corinthia Atlantic Hotel in Banjul.

The workshop, meant for National Assembly members and media practitioners, is organized by Social Forum Gambia in collaboration with The Association of Non-Governmental Organisations (TANGO) on the theme: "Understanding the EU-ACP Economic Partnership Agreements".

Speaking to participants at the opening ceremony, Fabakary Tombong Jatta, Majority leader - representing the speaker of the National Assembly, said the organization of the forum shows how critical the EPAs are to not only The Gambia, but to the African, the Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries. He said that such forums are vital as they help National Assembly members to know the state of affairs of EPA negotiations. He noted that this is particularly important for the ECOWAS region as governments and civil society organizations work hard to ensure that the agreements favour the developing countries.

Amadou Taal, chairperson of Social Forum Gambia, said the world is currently afflicted with crises that are so colossal that they affect every aspect of human life. According to him, in addition to the steps being taken at the G20 and UN, developing countries should be given more assistance to overcome the challenges posed by these crises as they did not create them but are being adversely affected by them. "We need aid in the form of grants and not loans," he said. Such aid, he added, should be channelled through development agencies and not the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Revealing that the current deadline for the signing of the EPA agreement is just around the corner, June 2009. He said the workshop was organised so that National Assembly members will be able to thoroughly and critically scrutinie the agreements, when they are tabled before them, to ensure that they are for the benefit of the country. He also revealed that similar exercises are being held in other countries in the sub-region. For more on the EPAs, read the Business and Finance column on Page 9.