EPA Review Annex Documents - DFID

the EPA negotiation structure changed at the beginning of 2008, 13 RNF meetings and
a number of dedicated sessions were conducted (See Appendix). For each RNF,
three negotiators from each ESA State were present (the chief negotiator, one from the
private sector and one expert from the sector the negotiation focuses on; agriculture,
fisheries, services, etc...).
• Air tickets
The costs of air tickets depend on the place where the meetings were taking place (e.g.
costs of tickets to Mauritius, Seychelles, and Madagascar, were very high as compared
to travelling to Khartoum, Djibouti or Nairobi). Therefore, taking a simple average of
$1500 per person per trip, the cost of the three negotiators who travelled to negotiate at
12 RNF sessions in the region (Ethiopia hosted one (the 9 th ) RNF out of the 13 RNFs),
an estimated travel cost of $54,000 ($1500x3x12) was spent to attend RNF meeting up
until the end of December 2007.
• Accommodation
Hotel accommodation was normally arranged by the Secretariat at a negotiated group
rate. An estimated cost of $100 per person per night can be considered as an average
rate. The length of the meetings was also depending on the depth and complexity of the
issues that were being discussed. Normally such meetings took 3 to 5 days. Thus, taking
an average of four days, an estimated cost of $14,400 ($100x4x3x12) has been spent
for hotel accommodation.
• Per diem
For each participant $70 per day was paid as a subsistence allowance in the form of per
diem, and this translated to a total of $10,080 ($70x4x3x12).
In total $78,480 ($54,000+$14,400+$10,080) has been spent for the three Ethiopian
RNF negotiators.
The Appendix shows the list of 53 meetings including seven RNFs (1st-7th RNFs). The
information provided by the Secretariat, covers the period until May 2006. It is estimated
that the list would be twofold if not more until the end of 2007. That means about 100
more meetings including dedicated sessions, seminars, meetings of senior officials and
Ambassadors, training sessions, joint EC-ESA meetings, etc., have been held which will
take the number of meetings to more than 150. In 2008 and 2009 no dedicated sessions
had taken place and the negotiations were less frequent. It can be estimated that no
more than 30 meetings were held 2008 and 2009. On average about 180 regional
meetings were conducted in relation to the EPA negotiations apart from the RNF. Each
ESA State was sponsored to send on average two experts for a particular meeting,
training, session or negotiation. Thus, the rough estimate for travel costs for negotiations
is $863,200. This amount does not consider preparation for these meetings.
Costs related to preparatory studies
Two Impact Assessment studies were conducted in preparation for the EPA negotiation
in collaboration with local and international consultants. A total of €210,000 has been
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