By Atul Kaushik Director, CUTS Geneva Resource Centre ak@cuts cuts-grc

1. Fostering Equity and Accountability in the Trading System (FEATS) Project: Meeting with Key Stakeholders Kampala, 9 March 2010 Inclusiveness of Trade Policy Making in Uganda: Presentation of the Main Findings of the First Phase Research By Atul Kaushik Director, CUTS Geneva Resource Centre ak@cuts.org www.cuts-grc.org

2. Structure of Presentation • Introduction • Trade policy making process in Uganda: key consultative mechanisms • Challenges in participation as viewed by stakeholders • Measuring inclusiveness: the Inclusive Trade Policy Making (ITPM) Index • Conclusions and Recommendations

3. I. Introduction • FEATS first phase research focus on trade policy making process and role of stakeholders in Kenya, Malawi, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia • Importance of inclusive trade policy making to ensure national multi-stakeholder ownership • Two publications titled “Towards More Inclusive Trade Policy Making: Process and Role of Stakeholders in Select African Countries” (full research publication) and “Improving Ownership through Inclusive Trade Policy Making Process: Lessons from Africa” (short advocacy monograph) • Measuring inclusiveness: Using the Inclusive Trade Policy Making (ITPM) Index

4. II. Trade Policy Making Process in Kenya: Key Consultative Mechanisms

5. II. Trade Policy Making Process in Uganda:Key Consultative Mechanisms

6. III. Challenges in Participation as Viewed by Stakeholders Ministry of Tourism, Trade and Industry (MTTI) • Lack of capacity and technical human resources to deal effectively with all trade policy issues • Lack of full engagement by non-state stakeholders • Lack of financial and human resources to ensure regular functioning of consultative mechanisms

7. III. Challenges in Participation as Viewed by Stakeholders Other relevant Government Ministries and Agencies • Lack of involvement and participation • Issues of coordination among governmental machinery • Lack of capacity to fully implement necessary reforms • Lack of regular information flow on trade issues

8. III. Challenges in Participation as Viewed by Stakeholders Private Sector Umbrella Organizations • Lack of ownership and sense of real participation • Limited capacity to regularly follow all trade policy developments and engage with the relevant government authorities • Need to balance the interests of all members • Who represents the informal sector?

9. III. Challenges in Participation as Viewed by Stakeholders Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) • Limited capacity to do sustained and research-based advocacy • Limited outreach to rural areas and the grassroots • Occasional tensions with the government: limited trust between government and civil society since civil society does not agree with many aspects of the government’s neo-liberal approach • Lack of official mandate and effective consulting with their own stakeholders

10. IV. Measuring inclusiveness: the Inclusive Trade Policy Making (ITPM) Index IPTM Index: Action Variables, Actors and Values Part I: Ministry Responsible for Trade Policy

11. IV. Measuring inclusiveness: the Inclusive Trade Policy Making (ITPM) Index IPTM Index: Action Variables, Actors and Values Parts II, III, and IV: Other Relevant Government Ministries, Private Sector, and CSOs

12. IV. Measuring inclusiveness: the Inclusive Trade Policy Making (ITPM) Index Explanation of Possible Action Values • Yes = maximum value of 1 = when appropriate action has been taken by the actor concerned • Many/Most = high value of 0.75 = when quite a lot has been done but some gaps remain • Some = intermediate value of 0.5 = when action has been taken but is not sufficient • Few / Little = low value of 0.25 = when some action has been taken but much remains • No = 0 value assigned = when no action has been taken by the actor concerned

13. IV. Measuring inclusiveness: the Inclusive Trade Policy Making (ITPM) Index MTTI SCORE

14. IV. Measuring inclusiveness: the Inclusive Trade Policy Making (ITPM) Index Scores by Other Groups of Stakeholders

15. IV. Measuring inclusiveness: the Inclusive Trade Policy Making (ITPM) Index

16. IV. Measuring inclusiveness: the Inclusive Trade Policy Making (ITPM) Index

17. IV. Measuring inclusiveness: the Inclusive Trade Policy Making (ITPM) Index

18. V. Conclusions and Recommendations • Several consultative mechanisms on trade issues established; however • Lack legal mandates and adequate resources • Irregular and ad hoc functioning • Improved stakeholders participation; but • Not all stakeholders being represented • Not all stakeholders have equal opportunities to participate

19. V. Conclusions and Recommendations • Remaining challenges classified in three broad categories • Related to capacity (limited technical, human, and financial capacities of stakeholders) • Related to institutional and structural issues (design and functioning of consultative mechanisms) • Related to challenges internal to each group of stakeholders

20. V. Conclusions and Recommendations • Identification and involvement of remaining stakeholders: action by government and concerned ministries needed • Regular information flow on trade issues to key stakeholders: action by concerned ministries needed • Rationalization and strengthening of consultative mechanisms: action by government and concerned ministries needed • Better coordination among relevant government ministries and agencies on trade issues: action by government needed

21. V. Conclusions and Recommendations • Better opportunities for CSO participation: action by MTTI needed • Better feedback and input loops between CSOs and the private sector umbrella organisations on the one hand, and their constituencies on the other: action by private sector umbrella organizations and CSOs needed • Investment on knowledge and expertise building: action by all including development partners needed • Promotion of a culture of dialogue and inclusiveness: sustained efforts by all stakeholders needed

22. Inclusiveness will generate national ownership which is the best guarantee for effective implementation of trade policy as part of overall development policy