Citiltrade.org::Centre for International Trade and Investment

July 04, 2009 02:44:36

Background

The Centre for International Trade and Investment Law (CITIL), is an independent non-profit making research institution registered in Kenya. CITIL’s main mandate is to build the capacity of the various stakeholders and citizens to beneficially participate in domestic and international trade and investment processes. It seeks to ensure that the international and national economic, trade and investment policy and policy making processes are geared towards addressing the development needs of the South and securing social and economic justice for the populations of the developing countries.

CITIL seeks to ensure that the pursuit of economic development through economic policies, trade and investment liberalization promotes the realization of citizen’s fundamental rights and freedoms and builds upon the gains made in the East African region in democratisation and good governance. Towards this end CITIL seeks to enhance consultations and negotiations among governments, regional institutions, policy makers and other stakeholders to ensure that laws, policies and regulations adopted at the national and international level respond to the specific needs of the various actors in the pursuit of the overall goal of economic development.

CITIL grew out of the need to ensure that the conduct of international, regional and domestic trade and investment and the formulation of multilateral and domestic economic, trade and investment policies is pursued in a manner that addresses the development needs of the developing countries of the East African region and that the pursuit thereof does not undermine the ability of the developing countries to adopt measures necessary for their national development needs. CITIL provides a forum for addressing the emerging and contemporary economic, legal and policy issues in international trade and investment arena and providing the policy and decision makers with research-based alternatives, that ensures that such policies do not undermine the promotion and security of fundamental rights and freedoms.

Mission of CITIL

CITIL’s mission is double-pronged:

To enhance the capacity various stakeholders in the Eastern African region to beneficially exploit the opportunities in international and regional trade and investment by conducting strategic research and knowledge development and facilitating informed engagement of and involvement of the various stakeholders in economic, legal and policy formulation, trade negotiations, decision making and their overall participation in the processes that enhance a people driven trade, investment and sustainable development in the region.

To ensure that international, regional and domestic trade ad investment processes respect and promote the protection of fundamental rights and freedoms, environmental conservation, economic and social justice.

Vision of CITIL

CITIL envisages a world:

Where Multilateral, regional and domestic trade, investment and economic processes are pursued in a manner that promote the principles of social and economic justice, incorporate equitable participation and empowerment of all stakeholders, especially the countries of the global South and their peoples and communities;
With effective regional institutions that enhance local and regional trade and investment options; transparent and accountable national and local structures in which citizens and organizations of civil society meaningfully participate in policy decisions that affect their lives and livelihoods;
With economies that value sustainability, human dignity, equity and community.

Goal and Objectives

The overall GOAL of CITIL is to build the capacity of stakeholders to participate in international trade processes, exploit the opportunities in international trade and enable them comply with their international trade requirements and obligations.

The foregoing goal is underpinned by the following Objectives:

To facilitate and create public awareness on international and regional trade and investment negotiation processes in the Eastern African region.
To advocate and lobby for involvement, consultation and participation of all stakeholders in international, regional and domestic trade and investment processes in the East African region.
To promote and advocate for trade related institutional, legal and policy reforms in the East African countries.
To initiate, promote and sustain dialogue and interaction among the stakeholders in all areas of national, regional and international trade.
To highlight and strengthen the role of investment in promoting international trade and sustainable development.
To build the capacity of stakeholders and government officials to utilize the dispute settlement mechanisms under the various national and international trade blocs and regimes.
To promote strategic and functional trade related regional integration.
To promote and ensure the entrenchment of the concepts of human rights, gender concerns and environmental concerns into the mainstream international trade processes.
To spearhead institutionalised ruled based consumer protection and maintenance of trade competition.