The African, Caribbean and Pacific-EU Economic Partnership Agreement, under the Cotonou Agreement 2000, was to pave the way for trade liberalisation, stimulate growth and reduce poverty. This was to be achieved by a shift from the former non-reciprocal preferential arrangements under Lome, 1975 to reciprocal ones. The agreement demands opening up and restructuring ACP states and ensuring compatibility with global trading norms, with critical implications for both the external and domestic sector of ACP states. African trade negotiators confront major challenges ahead.