The timing of The Fourth Ordinary Session of the AU Ministers of Trade in Nairobi, Kenya (12-14 April 2006) was quite opportune, coming only 4 months since the WTO Ministerial Conference in Hong Kong and just twenty months to the conclusion of the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) between most of the AU member countries and the EU. In the same breath the EPAs are also expected to be concluded by December 2007, ushering in the new global dispensation whose implementation commences with effect from 1^st January 2008.

The Honorable members tackled Economic Integration, WTO negotiations, EPAs, Migration and Development, Trade and Cooperation with China and Aid for Trade among other issues.

There is need to build our national, regional and continental efforts with the aim of achieving our long term goals of having meaningful trade with the rest of the world and addressing unjust policies that have been in the Multilateral Trading System since its inception five decades ago. As we do this, there is need to look inward and remove impediments to intra-Africa trade.

We can begin to build blocks with other countries outside Africa who share comparable developmental concerns and issues in coming up with common positions which will ensure all members harvest noble gains.

This issue examines Trade and Africa’s infrastructure among other concerns.