Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
strengthen the competitiveness of Arab commodities and to endeavor to abolish all
forms of subsidies, assistance and barriers imposed by the industrial countries to
impede the access of Arab commodities in international markets.
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The initiative led CAMRE to request
ESCWA and UNEP to coordinate and cooperate with the Technical Secretariat of CAMRE to
develop a regional program for Arab capacity building on trade and environment issues, espe-
cially to address measures that hinder Arab export competitiveness in international markets and
that relate to trade negotiations and adjusting to the rules and regulations of the World Trade
Organization related to the environment.
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Based on consultations with Arab countries, the noted institutions subsequently drafted
the Program for Trade and Environment Capacity Building in the Arab Region, which
was adopted by JCEDAR and CAMRE in 2003.
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The program focuses on assisting Arab
states in three thematic areas, namely market access, international competitiveness and
building capacity in dispute resolution, including mechanisms to ensure the mutual sup-
portiveness of trade-related MEAs and the multilateral trading system.
The institutional context
Following the establishment of the WTO, a
rst generation of working groups on trade
and environment issues emerged in the Arab region, namely in Egypt and Kuwait, who
became members of the WTO upon its establishment or closely thereafter. These coordi-
nating mechanisms were created within the framework of existing committees responsi-
ble for WTO issues and were thus led by ministries of trade. As such, the scope of their
activities was mostly limited to topics included within the CTE work program. These com-
mittees have tended to be more focused on interministerial coordination, while the input
of experts is also solicited on a needs basis.
As awareness about trade and environment linkages grew, environmental stakehold-
ers sought to mainstream environmental issues into national development agendas. A
new set of committees on trade and environment emerged, this time led by environ-
mental agencies. Morocco, Saudi Arabia and Tunisia established national committees
during this period to foster interministerial and public-private sector dialogue on
trade and environment topics. These committees included relevant government min-
istries as well as representatives from private industry, chambers of commerce and non-
governmental organizations. CAMRE took note of these initiatives in 1999 and
recommended that other Arab countries seek to establish national trade and environ-
ment committees.
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Jordan and Syria have since sought to activate participatory trade
and environment committees in their respective countries. Yemen established a National
Committee on Environment and Trade in May 2006, which is supported by an
Environment and Trade Unit based at the Environment Protection Authority that pro-
vides secretariat support to the committee. These committees have helped to foster
formal and informal networks across ministerial lines and open channels of communi-
cation with the private sector and civil society. The committees have also provided a
forum to raise awareness and enhance understanding about these issues in the region,
often with support provided through the Program on Trade and Environment Capacity
Building in the Arab Region.
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