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UN Agencies to train EABC support Organizations to empower MSMEs, women and youth entrepreneurs

By Alphonse RUTAZIGWA

East African MSMEs underscore the need for full inclusion in negotiations of AfCFTA protocol on Women & Youth,

(Kampala/Geneva), 20th September 2022: - The International Trade Centre, UN Development Programme and UN Women, collaborated with the East African Business Council (EABC) to engage business support organisations (BSOs) in the region on the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

ITC EABC UNDP Workshop.

Held from 20th - 22nd September 2022, the workshop brought over 70 representatives from the region’s business ecosystem to learn about the AfCFTA and gain insight on the status of negotiations as well as the progress made on implementing the Agreement.

It also provided BSOs with a comprehensive toolkit on how best to tailor their services to drive business competitiveness under a new liberalized African market. MSMEs especially women and youth entrepreneurs will benefit when the institutions within Africa’s business ecosystems are strengthened to respond to their emerging needs and advocate for their interests.

MSMEs from other regional economic trade blocs present at the workshop aimed at fostering cross-regional networking among businesses took the opportunity to showcase their products at the event.

Speaking at the opening session, Director of Country Programmes ITC, Mr Ashisha Shah said, “Women and youth are Africa's great resource. The AfCFTA is the silver bullet into the future and One Trade Africa, ITC’s corporate programme is steadfast to unlock the USD.22 billion intra-Africa export potential and empower MSMEs, women and youth to access meaningful business opportunities under the AfCFTA.”

On behalf of UNDP, Ms Elsie Attafuah, UNDP Uganda Resident Representative underscored the need to build the capacity of women and youth-led enterprises to trade in African goods and services - produced in Africa, by Africans, for Africans. “…women and youth engaged in cross-border trade continue to face challenges and obstacles that limit their competitiveness and make their businesses less productive,” said Ms Elsie Attafuah.

The Resident Representative emphasized the need to understand the needs of women and youth and equipping them with the knowledge, skills, and information as this was incredibly important to empower them to participate in intra-African trade.”

On behalf of UN Women, Adekemi Ndieli, the UN Women Deputy Country Representative said, “…we need to demystify the legal and policy context for women and youth. She said Sub-Saharan Africa and particularly Uganda has the highest number of women entrepreneurs in the world.” She further called for more inclusive participation of women and youth in policy negotiations, ease access to finance, uptake of information technology for women traders, and take deliberate actions such as capacity building for SMEs on international and regional trade requirements and empowering women-owned firms to invest in trade opportunities under the AfCFTA.

Speaking at the event, the Executive Director of the East African Business Council (EABC) Mr John Kalisa emphasized the need to improve the calibre of East African businesses in preparation for greater competition brought about by the AfCFTA and to boost productivity in the region. Mr Kalisa stated the AfCFTA offers a market of 1.3 billion people with a combined GDP of USD.3.4 trillion and its implementation will lift 100 million Africans out of poverty.

He additionally indicated that the AfCFTA will not work if we ignore the role of women and youth and called for the finalization of the AfCFTA protocol on worm and Youth. He expounded that information asymmetry, enforcement of contracts, impatient capital, and foreign exchange losses are among the challenges facing women and youth engaged in cross-border trade in the EAC bloc and Africa.

In Africa, BSOs play a crucial role in supporting small businesses particularly women and young entrepreneurs to trade and capitalize on opportunities available through the AfCFTA. The Kampala workshop sets the first of these workshops in motion where UN Agencies will collaborate and engage regional and national stakeholders to support MSMEs to take advantage of the AfCFTA.

ITC EABC UNDP Workshop.
John Bosco Kalisa, CEEO EABC.

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