The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the International Trade Centre (ITC), recently organized a regional capacity building workshop in Abuja, Nigeria. The workshop aimed to train Master Trainers from Business Associations on the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), deepening their understanding of the opportunities presented by the continental market.
Madame Massandjé TOURE-LITSE, the ECOWAS Commissioner for Economic Affairs and Agriculture, emphasized the importance of West African businesses capitalizing on the African continental market. She reaffirmed the ECOWAS Commission’s commitment to supporting the Private Sector in unlocking investment, enhancing production, and fostering business linkages. She called on the network of Trainers to assist Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), particularly women and youth entrepreneurs, in starting their trade activities under the AfCFTA.
Mr. Lealem Berhanu DINKU, the UNDP Deputy Resident Representative, highlighted the role of MSMEs as the driving force behind intra-African trade. Recognizing their significance, UNDP supports the capacities of MSMEs to produce and trade for the African market through capacity building, market access facilitation, and policy advisory services.
Mr. Ashish SHAH, Director of the Division of Country Programmes at ITC, underscored the focus of ITC’s AfCFTA trainings, which emphasize investment, trade, market intelligence, and value chain development. He emphasized the importance of mentoring MSMEs to develop strong business cases for potential financing, as well as the availability of ITC’s trade and market intelligence tools to support their endeavors.
Over the course of the three-day workshop, participants from Business Associations received training on crucial aspects of export readiness, including export market research, export strategy, and operational tools of the AfCFTA. The Master Trainers were equipped with the skills to raise awareness among businesses about the benefits of the AfCFTA and guide them in commencing trade within the continental market.
Representatives from Business Associations, the ECOWAS Commission, UNDP, ITC, and the AfCFTA Secretariat attended the workshop. The ECOWAS-UNDP Capacity Building Programme, launched in April 2021, aims to support the Private Sector in the ECOWAS region in leveraging market opportunities within the AfCFTA framework.
