Balaclava, Mauritius, Our Chief of Strategy or Co-Managing Director, Ms. Petrider Paul, had the distinct honor of being invited to participate in the Regional Workshop on AfCFTA – Empowering Women Entrepreneurs Across Africa, held in Baclava, Mauritius, this Capacity-Building Workshop and B2B Event, themed “Unlocking Opportunities for Women Entrepreneurs under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)”, marked a significant milestone in advancing gender-inclusive trade across the continent. The event was jointly organized by the Economic Development Board (EDB) Mauritius—host of the ITC SheTrades Hub and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) Subregional Office for Southern Africa.
Bringing together women entrepreneurs and trade representatives from 15 African countries, the workshop served as a dynamic platform to explore new trade opportunities, strengthen cross-border partnerships, and integrate women-led enterprises into regional and continental value chains.
Key Highlights from the Workshop
- Hon. Ms. Marie Arianne Navarre-Marie, Minister of Gender Equality and Family Welfare, reaffirmed Mauritius’s strong commitment to advancing women’s empowerment through trade.
- Hon. Dhaneshwar Damry, Junior Minister of Finance, emphasized that the AfCFTA is more than a trade agreement—it is a transformative framework for inclusive growth, positioning women entrepreneurs at the heart of Africa’s integration journey.
- Mr. Mahen Abhimanu Kundasamy, CEO of EDB, highlighted the importance of gender-inclusive trade for sustainable growth and competitiveness, commending the SheTrades Mauritius Hub as a model of tangible progress.
- Ms. Eunice G. Kamwendo, Director of UNECA Southern Africa, lauded Mauritius’s leadership and celebrated women entrepreneurs as “leaders and architects of Africa’s economic transformation.”
Driving Data-Driven Trade Integration
Participants also engaged in an insightful session on ITC Market Analysis Tools, including the Trade Map, African Trade Observatory, and key regional integration indicators. These tools play a pivotal role in harnessing data, unlocking market opportunities, and enabling evidence-based decision-making to strengthen intra-African trade and empower women entrepreneurs across the continent.
This landmark event reaffirmed the critical role of gender-responsive trade policies and inclusive AfCFTA implementation in driving Africa’s sustainable integration and shared prosperity, as a proud participating organization Imara Leadrship Initiative contributed to the dialogue on how women entrepreneurs can leverage the AfCFTA to scale their enterprises, compete regionally, and lead transformative growth across Africa.
About Imara Leadership Initiative (ILI):
Imara Leadership Initiative is dedicated to building ethical, accountable, and transformative leaders in Tanzania and across Africa by focusing on youth empowerment, leadership training, and democratic engagement, ILI plays a vital role in shaping a new generation of leaders who are prepared to address the challenges of governance and development.
For partnerships and inquiries information please contact us via Ms. Sarah Masuma | Programmes Lead E-mail: info@imaraleadership.org
