An analysis of the mutual acceptance of conformity assessment results within the context of the African tripartite free trade area

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dc.contributor.advisor Chitiga-Mabugu, Margaret
dc.contributor.coadvisor Tshiyoyo, Mudikolele Michel
dc.contributor.postgraduate Josias, Ronald
dc.date.accessioned 2020-05-12T18:56:00Z
dc.date.available 2020-05-12T18:56:00Z
dc.date.created 2020
dc.date.issued 2019
dc.description Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2019. en_ZA
dc.description.abstract This thesis intended to review the policy enactment and implementation for the mutual acceptance of conformity assessment results (MACAR) within the context of the African Tripartite Free Trade Area (TFTA). Contextualised within the ambit of a regional economic arrangement, the MACAR has received renewed attention in recent years due to its impact on the economic welfare objective of trading economies. Three of the existing African regional economic arrangements, namely the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), the East African Community (EAC) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) launched the TFTA in 2015. Regional economic integration initiatives such as the TFTA hold much promise for the creation of economic welfare for participating member states. However, without a harmonised approach to the enactment and implementation of the MACAR, the TFTA’s ability to achieve its economic welfare gain objective is at risk. Building on existing work on Africa’s regional integration initiatives and the African policy environment, the study asks: How can the TFTA MACAR enactment and implementation framework be harmonised to facilitate the acceptance of conformity assessment results amongst the TFTA Member States, in order to facilitating the free flow of goods and services? A qualitative methodology approach, comprising a review of the literature and information gathered from semi-structured interviews and case studies was employed. Grounded within the domain of Public Administration, specifically in International Public Administration and International Economics, the analysis of the data revealed that the challenge of facilitating the acceptance of conformity assessment results should be addressed at the international, regional and national levels, as it relates to the policy environment. Based on the study, six findings and associated recommendations evolved. The study found that the critical components of a TFTA MACAR enactment in implementation framework are: i) compliance with the World Trade Organisation’s Technical Barriers to Trade Agreement requirements; ii) inclusiveness; iii) communication; iv) human resource and infrastructure development; and v) monitoring, control and sanctions. On this basis, and to support and strengthen the effectiveness of the study’s outcome, it is recommended that the TFTA: i) clarify the TFTA trade strategy; ii) clarify the conformity assessment procedure strategy; iii) address the loss of income from the liberalisation of tariff barriers and technical barriers; iv) Speed up the process of harmonisation of CAP; v) establish stakeholder and policy role-players’ participation structures; and vi) Establish communication hubs. Further research is needed to find ways to strengthen the effectiveness of the proposed MACAR enactment and implementation framework. en_ZA
dc.description.availability Unrestricted en_ZA
dc.description.degree PhD en_ZA
dc.description.department School of Public Management and Administration (SPMA) en_ZA
dc.identifier.citation Josias, R 2019, An analysis of the mutual acceptance of conformity assessment results within the context of the African tripartite free trade area, PhD Thesis, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, viewed yymmdd <http://hdl.handle.net/2263/74560> en_ZA
dc.identifier.other A2020 en_ZA
dc.identifier.uri http://hdl.handle.net/2263/74560
dc.language.iso en en_ZA
dc.publisher University of Pretoria
dc.rights © 2019 University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria.
dc.subject UCTD en_ZA
dc.subject Globalisation en_ZA
dc.subject Regional integration en_ZA
dc.subject Free Trade Area en_ZA
dc.subject Technical Barriers to Trade en_ZA
dc.subject Technical Barriers to Trade en_ZA
dc.title An analysis of the mutual acceptance of conformity assessment results within the context of the African tripartite free trade area en_ZA
dc.type Thesis en_ZA


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