afrol News, 30 September - Continued reforms and technical assistance should help Rwanda in its efforts to achieve a dynamic economy, the World Trade Organisation (WTO) today said, hailing Rwandan reform efforts. Reforms however needed to be backed up by international assistance.

The continuation of macroeconomic and structural reforms introduced by Rwanda since the end of the 1994 genocide were said to be "essential to provide its economy with the competitiveness and dynamism it needs," according to the WTO Secretariat.

The organisation today released a report on the trade policies and practices of Rwanda. The report concludes that ongoing Rwandan reforms were important "if it is to reap the full benefits of the country’s participation in the multilateral trading system" and its recent accession to the COMESA (Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa).

The report however stresses that Rwanda "needs considerable technical assistance from the international community" to build capacity in trade negotiations, to integrate trade into its development strategy and harmonise its trade system with international standards.

Further international technical assistance was needed in Rwanda to "effectively implement the WTO Agreements, particularly in the areas of customs valuation, sanitary and phytosanitary measures, technical barriers to trade and trade-related aspects of intellectual property rights."

The reforms, together with assistance from the international community, and enhancement of Rwanda's multilateral commitments on both goods and services, should contribute to improving the transparency and predictability of the country's trade regime, the report found.

Reforms and assistance should further "attract the capital needed to diversify its economy, the present lack of diversification having left Rwanda vulnerable to external shocks, including international market fluctuations."

The WTO Secretariat report notes that in addition to providing technical assistance, the partner countries could help Rwanda in its unilateral reconstruction efforts. Development partners in particular were urged to give a broader and more stable access to their markets for Rwandan exporters.

By staff writer

© afrol News

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