Technical Assistance to the Coordination of the Trade Support Programme (PASC)
The overall objective of the Technical Assistance is to coordinate, monitor as well as support the contracting authority (National Authorising Officer, NAO) and the contractors (Trade and Industry Directorate) in the implementation of the Trade Support Programme (PASC).
This program, funded by the European Union and falling within the on-going negotiations for an Economic Partnership between the EU and São Tomé and Principe and being a first step to its future implementation, aims more specifically at:
- Supporting the Trade and Industry Directorate in strengthening its institutional capacity in:
- Trade related data and information analysis and management;
- Negotiation and decision making;
- The process of defining and developing a national trade strategy as well as legal and regulatory framework, aiming namely at a stronger regional and WTO integration and supporting the future Economic Partnership Agreement;
- Defining and implementing a strategy to strengthen the competitiveness of the sectors identified by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development as keys for exports and through this component increase the participation of the private sector and civil society in the formulation and implementation of the national trade strategy.