Call For Registration
Regional Workshop: Unlocking opportunities for women entrepreneurs in Southern Africa under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)
03-04 September 2025
Background
The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Protocol on Women and Youth in Trade is intended to address the barriers to trade that Southern African and Mauritian women may face to participate in intra-regional trade under the AfCFTA. As the AfCFTA translates gradually into a reality, sensitizing women entrepreneurs in Southern Africa and Mauritius of the challenges and opportunities of trading under the AfCFTA and training them on how take advantage of such opportunities is critically important.
In this context, the SheTrades Mauritius Hub, hosted by the Economic Development Board (EDB) of Mauritius and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), through its Subregional office for Southern Africa (SRO-SA), are joining forces to organise a 2 day capacity building workshop for women entrepreneurs in Southern Africa and Mauritius on how to take advantage of the opportunities of the AfCFTA, to be held from 3–4 September 2025. To facilitate networking, women entrepreneurs from Eastern Africa will also be invited to attend.
The AfCFTA represents a transformative opportunity for the continent, including Mauritius, by establishing a single market of 1.3 billion people across 55 countries, with a combined GDP of US$3.3 trillion, a figure projected to more than double by 2050. To fully harness the benefits of this historic agreement, it is essential that Southern African women entrepreneurs are equipped with the necessary knowledge and tools to access and compete in African markets.
Capacitating Southern African women entrepreneurs to trade under the AfCFTA will contribute not only to their economic empowerment but also significantly to the socioeconomic development of their countries, aligning with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially SDG 5: Gender Equality.
Sidelines Event
Alongside the workshop, participants from Eastern and Southern Africa will be granted dedicated exhibition space to showcase their products or services, providing valuable visibility to a diverse audience. They will also have the opportunity to connect directly with buyers from across the region, opening doors to new markets and potential business partnerships. Furthermore, participants will be invited to take part in curated B2B sessions—targeted networking meetings designed to foster meaningful business relationships, explore collaboration opportunities, and enhance market reach.
Theme: Unlocking opportunities for women entrepreneurs in Southern Africa to trade under the AfCFTA
Objectives
The workshop on AfCFTA and the sidelines event aims to:
- Raise awareness of trade and investment opportunities under the AfCFTA, particularly for women-led businesses and MSMEs.
- Facilitate networking through a platform to showcase company profiles and product/service portfolios, fostering business linkages and regional partnerships.
- Enhance understanding of key AfCFTA provisions—including rules of origin and non-tariff measures—and how these can be leveraged for market access.
- Build capacity in digital trade and e-commerce, equipping women with the tools to engage more actively in intra-African trade through digital platforms.
- Promote knowledge sharing by encouraging the exchange of experiences, success stories, and best practices to support cross-border trade and entrepreneurship.
- Foster collaboration and innovation through market expansion initiatives and the dissemination of critical trade-related information to drive cross-sector and cross-regional synergies.
Who can be funded to participate in the workshop?
Only 25 Women Export-led Businesses (WLBs) who meet the following criteria will be invited to attend the workshop, funded by the organisers.
- Must be a legally registered business in the domicile economy of the country. The countries considered are: Angola, Botswana, Comoros, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe
- Must be a women-led business (over 30%), as certified in registration document
- Must be a member of a SheTrades Hub (Ghana, Kenya, Rwanda and South Africa) or a member of a National Business Association/National Chamber of Commerce and Industry within country of domicile, or recommended by national institutions such as the National Trade Promotion Agency, Investment Promotion Agency, Economic Development Board of the country
Companies will be selected based on one or more of the following market-readiness criteria:
- Operational for a minimum period of at least 2 years.
- Products/services meeting international standards
- Logistical and production capacity to meet national, regional or international orders
- Functional marketing profile and materials (website, social media and promotional materials, packaging etc.)
- Actively participating in capacity building activities (trainings, webinars, e- learnings etc.) as part of upskilling to meet market requirements
- Provision of turnover derived from exports
Only Women led businesses from the following sectors of activity will be considered:
- Manufacturing (Light Engineering, Jewellery & Precious Stones, Pharmaceutical and Health related products, Textile and Apparel)
- Agri & Agro Processing
- Handicraft
- Beauty & Wellness Products
- ICT & Related Services
Selection Process
The selection committee, consisting of EDB and ECA, will finalize the list of participants.
Register Now
Don’t miss this exceptional opportunity to grow your business and expand your network. Register here by 09 July 2025 to secure your place!