By Mabinty M. Kamara
A three-day regional conference jointly organized by the Economic Community of West African States Commission and the United Nations Development agency (UNDP) aimed at enhancing the capacity of women to maximize opportunities in the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) will today end in Freetown.
The capacity building workshop brought together women-led organizations across the region. Participants are expected to take the knowledge gained from the deliberations to their respective countries.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the event on Wednesday 7th April 2021 at the Radisson Blu Mamy Yoko hotel in Freetown, the Vice President of the ECOWAS Commission, Sia E.M Koroma, former first lady of Sierra Leone emphasized the importance of regional trade and the benefits it has especially on women who occupy the larger aspect of the informal sector across the African continent.
She said the AfCFTA represents an opportunity to turn things around through the creation of “made in Africa products” and that women can be beneficially integrated into regional value chain, which are better aligned to industrialization objectives.
“The development of export -oriented manufacturing with the framework of the AfCFTA will create opportunities for female employment in traditionally female sectors and in male dominated and capital intensive sectors,” the statement reads.
She went on: “ECOWAS policy framework is well aligned, through the four objectives set out by the ECOWAS plan of action on Gender and trade.”
She admonished the participants to ensure fruitful deliberations for the success of the AfCFTA.
In his statement, the UNDP Sierra Leone resident coordinator Dr. Pa Lamin Beyai said that part of their collaboration with the ECOWAS in the Training of Trainers, was looking at the possible benefits of trading within the continent.
“UNDP’s focus in supporting the AfCFTA Agreement is to make it work for women and youth – two groups which have the ability to lead and drive Africa’s economic transformation,” he said.
He noted that the AfCFTA Agreement clearly underscores gender equality as one of its important objectives, saying specific provisions in the agreement obligate states to enhance the export capacities of women in Informal, Micro, Small, and Medium Scale Enterprises.
“When fully harnessed, the AfCFTA can transform the trajectory of Africa’s development. Evidence shows that, around 70% of the continent’s exports to other regions mainly comprise of primary commodities, which are low in value, and liable to price fluctuations in the international market,” the statement reads.
“In comparison, around 60% of all products in intra-African trade are industrial goods. This shows the huge opportunity the One African Market provides for the realization of the continent’s industrialization and economic diversification.”
Women, he observed, are Africa’s traders, and that the evidence is very clear. For instance, he said in the Mano River Union (MRU), more women than men are engaged in cross border trade, and 75% of these are in the informal sector. More women than men are engaged in petty trading and subsistence agriculture in their communities.
However, he said most of these women remain in the lower rung of the value chain in the agriculture and services sectors.
In his keynote address, the Minister of Trade and Industry Dr. Edward Hinga Sandi said the country was pleased to host the meeting, it becoming the 21st country to submit its instrument of ratification to the Africa Union for the adoption and implementation of AfCFTA following the coming into force of the agreement establishing the body to maximize opportunities for women.
When fully harnessed, the AfCFTA is expected to transform the trajectory of Africa’s development. Evidence shows that, around 70% of the continent’s exports to other regions mainly comprise of primary commodities, which are low in value, and liable to price fluctuations in the international market.
AfCFTA creates the platform for African people especially her women seamlessly trade, do value addition and diversify a wide product range of goods and services. The trade protocol also enhances the synergy between African natural resources endowment and much needed industrialization; and the structural transformation of the African economy is endless.
Copyright © 2021 Politico Online (09/04/21)
