Accra, Aug. 10, GNA - The 2009 Annual Review and Strategy Meeting of the Africa Trade Network (ATN) opens in Accra on Tuesday, August 11, to discuss the impact of the global economic crises on Africa and to enable civil society come out with appropriate responses in their campaigns to deal with the crisis.  

The four-day conference to be held between August 11-14 will explore the implications of the global crises on food, energy, finance, trade and production and chart a framework within which on-going African civil society advocacy and campaigns on the EPAs, WTO, debt, resource extraction and other economic policy concerns can be situated.

The meeting brings together members of the ATN and other networks of civil society organisations working on finance, trade, investment and economic development in Africa to discuss and develop shared positions on the current crises of the global economy and their implications for Africa's development.

A statement in Accra said the global financial and economic crisis had exposed the weak nature of African economies within the global system as shown in the dependence on few export primary commodities thus undermining economic activity in most countries. 

from: http://www.ghananewsagency.org/s_economics/r_7308/

2. UNCTAD Calls for Moves to Strengthen Regional Integration in 2009 report: http://www.twnafrica.org/index.php? option=com_content&view=article&id=168:unctad-calls-for-moves-to- strengthen-regional-integration-&catid=72:unctad-&Itemid=55

3. Press Review of Ghanaian Media of UNCTAD 2009 Economic Report in Africa: http://www.twnafrica.org/index.php? option=com_content&view=article&id=170:press-review-of-ghanaian- media-of-unctad-2009-economic-report-in-africa&catid=72:unctad- &Itemid=55

4. Weekly Africa Update#12-13: http:// www.twnafrica.org/index.php? option=com_content&view=article&id=171:weekly-africa- update12-13&catid=36:regional-integration&Itemid=83