African enterprises set to expand business engagements through continental trade agreement: ECA

Addis Ababa, April 14, 2023 (FBC) – The International Trade Centre (ITC) in collaboration with the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat, United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), Organization of Women in International Trade (OWIT), and the Commercial Law Development Program (CLDP) through the Africa Women and Youth Empowerment Working Group (AWYEG) have kicked off the final chapter of its Master class Series training programme.

According to ECA, 40 women and youth-owned businesses attend a three-day master class series organized by ITC, AfCFTA Secretariat, ECA, OWIT and CLDP through AWYEG ahead of the AfCFTA Business Forum.

ECA added that the master class aims to equip these African entrepreneurs with the skills, information and networks needed to expand their business prospects across Africa by using the AfCFTA.

Held ahead of the AfCFTA Business Forum in Cape Town, the three-day training Export and Investment Readiness Under AfCFTA immersion programme aims to assist a pipeline of viable and sustainable women and youth-owned businesses to tap into the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) market of 1.3 billion people, ECA has stated.

ECA further added that the master class is also geared to equip women and youth entrepreneurs to attract tailored finance, investment, and business linkages to meet the scale and standards of the continental market and take advantage of the AfCFTA Guided Trade Initiative.