EU to Strengthen Trade Deal With African Countries

The European Union announced the start of negotiations with five African nations, known as the Eastern and Southern Africa, or ESA, partners, to expand on an existing Economic Partnership Agreement, the European Commission said in an Oct. 2 press release. The EU wants to broaden the initial deal, signed in 2009 and provisionally applied since 2012, to create a comprehensive trade agreement with Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius, Seychelles and Zimbabwe, the press release said. The new deal should cover technical barriers to trade and intellectual property rights, the EU said. In a statement, Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom said the EU is “fully behind this important endeavour,” which will “boost bilateral trade and investment flows and will contribute to the creation of jobs and further economic growth in our respective regions.”