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Building a Cadre of Competent Trade Experts in Africa

About ESAMI-trapca

ESAMI-trapca’s History

The Trade Policy Training Centre in Africa (ESAMI-trapca) is a Centre within the Eastern and Southern Africa Management Institute (ESAMI), which is an intergovernmental institute that is ISO certified and recognized by UNECA as a Centre of Excellence. ESAMI-trapca was inaugurated in December 2006, with the mandate of providing training and technical expertise on trade issues to professionals in Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and low income Sub-Saharan African countries. Situated in Arusha, ESAMI-trapca is owned by ESAMI and in partnership with Lund University in Sweden.

Since its inception made possible by ESAMI and Sida partnership, ESAMI-trapca has focused its efforts on building long-lasting and sustainable solutions to economic challenges and aspirations of indigent sub-Sahara African countries.

VISION

To be a Centre of excellence in Trade Policy and Trade Law in Africa.

 

MISSION

To build and enhance trade and trade related capacities of African countries for effective economic integration at policy development, negotiations, implementation and enforcement processes of international trade.

Our Core Values

Independence

We will remain neutral and independent as we carry out our work in order to gain the trust of all our stakeholders

Integrity and Professionalism

We will serve with integrity and professionalism by being accountable and transparent in all our dealings.

Teamwork

We will foster team spirit, collaboration and consultation as a way to maximise the synergy of working together for improved service delivery and to satisfy our customers.

Innovativeness and Creativity

We will be innovative and proactive in seeking better and more efficient methods of service delivery.

Our Guiding Principles

  • A clear priority focus on participants from least developed and other sub-Saharan Africa countries;
  • An ambition to the highest academic standards and to be able to provide university-level education based on the most recent academic scientific evidence, free from any biased political messages;
  • African ownership and total academic independence from any outside interference with course curricula fostered by Lund University; and
  • An inclusive approach to mainstream gender and poverty reduction perspectives in the curriculum in line with the core objective.

The strategic response to the identified African capacity needs on trade is anchored on trapca’s vision to be a centre of excellence in Trade Policy and Trade Law in Africa. This is driven by the mission to build capacities of African countries for effective integration at policy development, negotiations, implementation and enforcement processes of international trade. The main capacity challenges identified from the needs analysis include the limited negotiation skills, policy design coupled with very limited capacity to implement and enforce obligations under the trade agreements entered into by African countries.

In this regard, to generate strategic results from quality training of relevant target beneficiaries, the Centre will leverage on effective partnerships, networking, effective governance and operational efficiency. The strategic results will be generated through the pursuit of the strategic priorities that will guide the Centre’s operations. These among others include offering training with a focus on Africa. This will be supported by strategic partnerships and efficient operations aimed at ensuring the sustainability of the Centre.

Partners Supporting ESAMI-trapca

Trapca’s Strategic Thrust

ESAMI-trapca programmes are based on the trade capacity needs within LDCs and other low income Sub-Saharan African countries. The Centre will continue to ensure that programmes benefit from periodic research carried out in the form of training needs assessment and participants’ feedback. Programme appraisal, tracer studies and impact assessment form important parts of ESAMI-trapca’s training and capacity building process.

The instructional methods of ESAMI-trapca‘s programmes is aimed at providing learners with work workrelated skills and high retention rates of the knowledge imparted. The pedagogy will incorporate multi-modal delivery mechanisms for course materials (e.g. case studies, in-field situational tasks, simulation and role playing, trade data retrieval exercises, and presentation of course exercises and tasks).

Tailor made programmes and courses will be designed to address clients’ specific training needs. These will be conducted on mutual  arrangement at venues and dates convenient to the client.

Trapca’s Capability and Comparative Advantages

As a highly specialised trade policy and trade law training institution, trapca aims at being a converging centre where trade personnel from LDCs and low income countries meet and share experiences on how to engage in the context of the multilateral, regional and bilateral trading systems. As the premier African based, LDC-focused trade policy, trade law and trade facilitation training institution in Africa, trapca’s capability is engrained in the following characteristics:

  • A network of institutional and individual contacts collated through the long history of collaborating institutions ESAMI and Lund University and through trapca’s own credibility.
  • A successful trade policy training institution based in Africa, managed by a competent team committed to effective improvement and innovation.
  • A highly motivated, eminent global faculty of leading scholars in trade policy, trade law and trade facilitation.
  • A highly motivated, eminent global faculty of leading scholars in trade policy, trade law and trade facilitation.