Happy shoppers at the #GhanaExpoinKE - May 2023

Making the AfCFTA promise a reality for women and youth

UNDP has been providing support to the implementation of the AfCFTA at national, regional and continental levels. This support includes direct support to countries, training for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), creating links between SMEs in different regions, research, and support for the development of trade-enabling technologies.

On 29 March 2021, the AfCFTA Secretariat and UNDP signed a strategic partnership to promote trade as a stimulus for Africa’s socioeconomic recovery from the COVID-19 crisis, and as a driver of sustainable development particularly for women and youth in Africa, in line with the SDGs and Agenda 2063 common vison for the continent.

About the AfCFTA

The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) - the world’s largest free-trade area - started trading on 1 January 2021, creating a market of 1.2 billion people and the eighth economic bloc in the world with a $3-trillion combined GDP, that is expected to more than double by 2050.

But the AfCFTA represents much more. On the one hand, it is a significant milestone on the journey to African integration and development. On the other hand, it is a catalyst for new ways of doing business, producing, working and trading within Africa and with the rest of the world.

The AfCFTA will make Africa the largest free trade area in the world and make intra-Africa trade (trade between African countries) easier by achieving several important inter-related objectives as follows: 

  1. Create a single African market for goods and services. This means most trade barriers will be removed and common policies will be put in place to ease the movement of goods, also money, people, businesses and services
  2. Make it easier for businesses, especially small businesses, to trade
  3. Remove non-tariŠ barriers i.e. measures that make trade between African countries di‹cult, such as customs delays
  4. Build African expertise in the areas of intellectual property rights, investment, competition and e-commerce
  5. Lower taxes and tariŠs between member countries 6. Help develop policies that facilitate trade and related services, such as the building of roads and easier access to ports.

 

Publications

28 September 2022

The Engine of Trade in Africa

The report provides an in-depth reflection of the experiences of Africa’s women who trade across borders through micro-, small-, medium and large-sized enterprises in both the formal and informal sectors. The report fills the knowledge gap on Africa’s women in trade and how they understand and engage with the AfCFTA, offering a rare opportunity to understand women’s issues in trade, as expressed by the women themselves.

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13 December 2021

Understanding the AfCFTA: Guide for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises in the ECOWAS Region

Understanding the AfCFTA: Guide for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises in the ECOWAS Region, was created to help small business owners, traders and producers, especially women, in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) region understand how the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) works so that they can be in a position to make the best use of the business opportunities that can be found within the AfCFTA, including trading more easily across the continent and adding value to goods and services. The guide was produced by the ECOWAS Commission with support from UNDP.

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20 November 2021

Futures Report 2021

With this product, government officials can target which sectors consist of opportunities for their nation's entry into the AfCFTA market, creating targeted trade capacity-building programmes that can strengthen exporter readiness.   Businesses are also in a better place to make sound decisions of where to invest to seize AfCFTA opportunities.  And those areas where further improvements need to be made are also pointed out - to create stronger chances for a Made in Africa Revolution.

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3 December 2020

The Futures Report: Making the AfCFTA Work for Women and Youth

This report demonstrates that, beyond the numbers and negotiations, the realization of this promise will depend on decisive actions and the collective efforts of the African people. Concrete policy measures and investments are needed, in particular to ensure that women and youth, who account for the majority of the population, business owners and workforce, can be better integrated into the value chains, jobs and opportunities stemming from the  African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)

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News articles

AfCFTA and UNDP announce new partnership to support largest trade area towards inclusive growth in Africa

The AfCFTA Secretariat and the UN Development Programme (UNDP) today have signed a strategic partnership to promote trade as a stimulus for Africa’s socioeconomic recovery from the COVID-19 crisis...

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Youth in Trade Challenge: propelling youth - led economic integration through the AfCFTA

The Agreement establishing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) stands as a powerful testament to Africa's aspirations, breaking down trade barriers and advancing economic integration...

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Youth in Trade Challenge: propelling youth - led economic integration through the AfCFTA

UNDP, in partnership with the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) secretariat, UN Women and the Government of Canada, have published a report titled Engine of Trade in Africa: Amplifying the voices of women across Africa...

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Africa's youth at the forefront of economic transformation

“I want a One African Market where I can make cross-border transactions in one African currency”, shared Vidhyasahar Thiyagarajan, founder of fintech company FUSE in the Seychelles...

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