The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), through its African Trade Policy Centre (ATPC) and the African Institute for Economic Development and Planning (IDEP), is launching a major capacity-building initiative to empower government stakeholders and private sector actors, especially women-led micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), to effectively leverage digital technologies for participation in intra-African trade.
The initiative is made possible with the financial support of the Government of Japan and is being executed in collaboration with TradeMark Africa (TMA), Google, and other key partners.
The launch comes at a pivotal moment for the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), the world’s largest free trade area by membership, which covers a market of over 1.4 billion people and a combined GDP of nearly USD 3 trillion.
Despite the transformative potential of digital technologies, the continent faces significant structural challenges that restrict businesses from fully benefiting from emerging trade opportunities. These constraints include gaps in digital infrastructure, regulatory harmonization, digital skills, and access to finance—barriers that are particularly pronounced among women-led enterprises.
The recent adoption of the AfCFTA Protocol on Digital Trade and its Annexes provides a continental blueprint for advancing inclusive digital transformation, fostering innovation, and reducing trade costs. This capacity-building initiative is fully aligned with the Protocol’s objectives, aiming to strengthen the institutional and technical capacities required for its effective implementation.
By equipping stakeholders with a practical understanding of how digital tools and platforms can enhance regional value chains and expand market access, the programme seeks to translate the Protocol’s policy commitments into concrete, actionable outcomes across Africa.
The training will be delivered in a hybrid format in Addis Ababa between 25-27 November. It will feature MSMEs carefully selected based on their desire and potential to integrate digital tools for market expansion. The programme will also include peer-to-peer exchanges, the sharing of best practices, and engagement with regional and international partners active in the digital trade ecosystem.
Melaku Desta, Coordinator of the African Trade Policy Centre (ATPC) and Acting Director of the Regional Integration and Trade Division (RITD) at ECA, underscored the necessity of the effort:
“Strengthening the digital capability of small and medium-size enterprises is essential for realizing the inclusion promise of the AfCFTA. Women- and youth-led enterprises are central to Africa’s growth; as such, enabling them to operate digitally and scale up under the AfCFTA is a policy priority and a development imperative.”
Echoing this sentiment, Erick Sirali, TradeMark Africa’s Director of Digital Trade, added:
“We are proud to co-host this workshop with UNECA as part of TradeMark Africa's efforts to provide solutions that drive a greater embrace of digitilisation by SMEs across Africa."
Upon completion, participants are expected to have an enhanced understanding of policy frameworks, an improved ability to integrate digital solutions into trade processes, and strengthened collaboration networks. The programme also aims to lay the foundation for sustained capacity development through future online learning offerings hosted on ECA’s digital platforms.
