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{
    "id": 798714,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/798714/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 285,
    "type": "other",
    "speaker_name": "",
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    "speaker": null,
    "content": "countries, their smooth and gradual integration into the global economy and eradication of poverty. The issue of eradication of poverty found its place in many different statements within the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that are currently in force. It is within the framework of the ACP-EU that we have been dealing with that. The EPAs specifically aim at promoting sustained growth, increasing the production and supply capacity of the partner states and fostering the structural transformation and diversification of the ACP economies and providing support for regional integration by being tailor made to suit specific regional circumstances. This has been extremely important for the African states as well as the Caribbean and the Pacific states because promotion of regional integration has opened up the regions for access of goods and movement of persons and goods. We look forward to a time when the continent will be open for anybody to go and work anywhere and goods to move freely. That will be important for us as Kenyans because we will forget about the 47 tribes and start thinking about establishing businesses in Zimbabwe, going to South Africa for businesses. We will be going to South Africa for business and people from the same regions will also come to us. Some other key features of Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) include the following. They are World Trade Organization (WTO) compatible agreements that go beyond conventional free trade agreement, focusing of African Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) development, in particular, taking into account their socio-economic circumstances, including cooperation and assistance to help ACP countries benefit from the agreements. They open up the European Union (EU) market, which is a very important thing for this House to note. These agreements open the EU markets for exports and imports fully and immediately. They allow ACP countries to trade with the EU. This kind of relationship is important for us because our exports to Europe have continued to be of a very small fraction compared to goods that we import from Europe. So, with these kinds of economic partnership agreements, there is an opening; a window and an opportunity for us, as a country, to continue to promote trade and export of goods. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, what has been good in the recent times is the increase of goods that are being exported from Kenya to the EU, which now includes agricultural products, fruits and vegetables as well as the flowers, which have traditionally been exported. This is very important for us because as much as our climate is extremely conducive for production of flowers and vegetables, we do not have to produce for ourselves; we can also produce for trade. These agreements between the EU and the ACP States have become a great opportunity for this country. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, with those remarks, I beg to present this report to the House and ask Sen. Poghisio to support."
}