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AfCFTA Workshop 2026

Unlocking AfCFTA Opportunities for Women-Led Businesses in African Markets

08 to 09 July 2026 : Labourdonnais Waterfront Hotel

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Speakers

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Programme of work

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About the Workshop

About

The SheTrades Mauritius Hub, hosted by the Economic Development Board (EDB), in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), will hold a two-day workshop on the operational aspects of conducting trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

It is a continuity programme built on last year’s successful regional workshop on AfCFTA held on 3rd and 4th September 2025.

The workshop aims to strengthen the positioning of women entrepreneurs within the regional and continental value chains, foster strategic partnerships, enhance export readiness and promote greater participation of women in AfCFTA-related trade opportunities.

Why attend the workshop?

Why

Through this initiative, the SheTrades Mauritius Hub seeks to strengthen the integration of women entrepreneurs into regional and continental value chains, foster strategic partnerships, enhance export readiness, and promote greater participation of women in AfCFTA-related trade opportunities.

The workshop aims to achieve the following objectives:

Awareness

Enhance participants’ awareness and understanding of AfCFTA opportunities & key provisions

Strengthen participants’ knowledge of key AfCFTA provisions, including Rules of Origin, tariff preferences, customs procedures and non-tariff measures, to enable women-led businesses and MSMEs to effectively access and navigate the African markets.

Empowerment

Empower women entrepreneurs through market intelligence & market access tools

Build the capacity of women entrepreneurs to leverage market access tools and trade-related information, expanding their participation in intra-African trade and fostering stronger cross-border collaboration and partnerships.

Practical Knowledge

Build practical knowledge on financing mechanisms, trade facilitation measures and market entry approaches

Improve export readiness and support sustainable business expansion within Africa. Learn from success stories and practical experiences of businesses exporting to Africa.

Workshop Agenda

Agenda

Speakers

Speakers

Day 1 - Wednesday 08 July 2026

Mr Danandjay Luximon

Deputy Director, Trade Policy
International Trade Division, Ministry of Foreign Affairs

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Mr. Danandjay Luximon

Mr Luximon is the Deputy Director of the International Trade Division with more than 20 years of work experience in international trade. His times at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade – Mauritius, has led him to career milestones such as professionally leading the AfCFTA negotiations – Mauritius signed the AfCFTA Agreement and its Protocols in March 2018 and ratified the Agreement in August 2019.

He has been actively involved in the elaboration of Mauritius’ position prior to the signing of the AfCFTA Agreement in March 2018 and is also currently involved in the negotiations of new issues such as Investment Policy, Competition Policy, Intellectual Property Rights, Digital Trade and Women & Youth in Trade. He has also played a key role in the development of Mauritius’ National Response Strategy for the implementation of the AfCFTA Agreement.

He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics and a Master’s degree in Economics with specialisation in International Economics.

Dr Jamiil Jeetoo

National Economist
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Mauritius and Seychelles

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Dr Jamiil Jeetoo

Dr Jamiil Jeetoo is the National Economist for Mauritius and Seychelles at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), where he leads the UNDP Economic Lab. He provides economic analysis and policy advice to governments and development partners on trade, macroeconomic policy, private sector development, competitiveness and sustainable economic transformation.

Dr Jeetoo has been actively engaged in advancing participation in the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) through policy analysis, research, capacity building and initiatives that strengthen export competitiveness and regional market integration. He has contributed to initiatives that support the export readiness of Mauritian and Seychellois enterprises and has participated in regional trade and investment forums focused on promoting intra-African trade and economic integration. He works closely with government institutions, the private sector and development partners to strengthen export competitiveness, improve market access and unlock new opportunities for Mauritian businesses across African markets. His work also focuses on promoting regional value chains, enhancing export readiness and fostering an enabling environment for trade-led economic growth.

Ms Thandeka Dlamini

Manager External Trade Promotion
Swaziland Investment Promotion Authority

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Ms Thandeka Dlamini

Manager, External Trade Promotion
Swaziland Investment Promotion Authority

Ms Poonam Mohun

Head of the Non-Tariff Measures (NTM) Division
AfCFTA Secretariat in Ghana

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Ms. D. Poonam Mohun

Ms. D. Poonam Mohun is Head of the Non-Tariff Measures (NTM) Division at the AfCFTA Secretariat in Ghana, where she leads work on the implementation of the AfCFTA’s agenda including obstacles to trade, technical barriers to trade, and sanitary and phytosanitary measures. She has over two decades of international experience in trade policy, multilateral and regional trade negotiations, regulatory cooperation, and capacity-building.

Prior to joining the AfCFTA Secretariat, Ms. Mohun served as Programme Manager at the International Trade Centre (ITC) in Geneva, Evaluator under the EU-ACP TradeCom II Programme in Brussels, and Trade Counsellor and Negotiator for Mauritius. Throughout her career, she has advised governments, regional economic communities, and international organisations, while supporting the design and implementation of trade-related reforms across Africa and beyond.
Ms. Mohun has chaired several high-level international bodies, including the WTO Committee on Safeguards, the Africa Group, and the ACP Group in Geneva, reflecting her longstanding engagement in the multilateral trading system and international trade governance.

A Mauritian Swiss national, Ms. Mohun holds an extensive portfolio of academic and professional qualifications in economics, international trade law, and project management. These include the titles of Ingénieur Maître and Maîtrise en Ingénierie Économique from Université Nice Sophia-Antipolis (France), Certificate in WTO Law and Jurisprudence from the Advisory Centre on WTO Law (Geneva), the WTO Trade Policy Course Diploma, PRINCE2® Registered Practitioner certification, and numerous other specialised qualifications from leading international institutions.

Mr Rajendra Gupta Ramnarain
Director, Customs Department Mauritius Revenue Authority
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Mr Rajendra Gupta Ramnarain

With over 43 years of service in leading sections such as Seaport Operations, Excise and Assessment and in pioneering important automation and trade facilitation projects. He has also conducted several capacity building missions on behalf of the WCO and the IMF in many African countries. Engaged as lead expert for drafting the WCO- East and Southern Africa Regional Strategy 2022-2025, he has marked his contribution in the reforms and modernization of many customs administrations of the ESA region. Mr. Ramnarain brings extensive institutional knowledge, leadership experience, and international exposure to his current role.

Qualifications:

  • BSc (Hons) Business Studies with specialisation in HRM
  • MBA with Specialisation in HRM
  • Diplôme D’Etudes Superieures, Ecole Nationale des Douanes, France

Accredited expert:

  • Modernisation of Customs Administrations
  • Reform and Modernisation of Customs Administrations

Day 2 - Thursday 09 July 2026

Mrs Manisha Dookhony

Chief Executive Officer
Terramont Capital Partners

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Ms Manisha Dookhony

A globally recognised economist and board leader with dual Master’s degrees from Harvard, Manisha Dookhony is a force in African finance. Named among the Top 10 Women in Investment and Finance across Africa by the Angaza Forum, she has steered multi-million-dollar EU and African projects and advised governments on investment and economic reform.

Now CEO of Terramont Capital Partners, she brings 25+ years of executive board experience across 30+ African countries—specialising in corporate governance, risk, and economic transformation.

She chairs G100’s Country Chapter, is immediate past Chair of the African Development Bank’s Legal Support Facility and Mindex Group, and currently serves on the boards of Telfair Education Group and the Financial Services Institute.

In short: she doesn’t just advise on change—she leads it.

Mrs Jessica Naga

Group Chief Executive Officer
MINDEX Group

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Mrs Jessica Naga

The Group CEO of MINDEX, a regulated Virtual Assets investment ecosystem; A Qualified Barrister from England & Wales and Mauritius with over 22 years of practice The President of the American Chamber of Commerce (AMCHAM) of Mauritius.

In 2020, Jessica was the laureate of Women In Africa 54 (WIA 54) in the digital sphere, and in 2021 and 2022, formed part of the 100 International Women in FinTech Power list of Innovate Finance, UK.

She was also the winner of the Most Innovative FinTech CEO 2024 award, by APAC Insider Magazine. In January 2025, she won the Crypto Infrastructure CEO of 2024 award for Africa.

Mr Arnaud Levasseur

Executive Vice President, Trade Finance Products
Mauritius Commercial Bank Ltd

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Mr Arnaud Levasseur

Arnaud Levasseur serves as Executive Vice President, Trade Finance at MCB and Director of MCB Trade Finance Service S.A., bringing deep expertise in international trade, Structured Trade Finance, Supply Chain Finance and almost 20 years of experience within the bank. He holds a Master’s degree in Finance from La Sorbonne Business School and is a Certified Trade Finance Professional accredited by the International Chamber of Commerce, as well as a CDCS advocate with extensive international exposure. In his current role, Arnaud leads MCB Trade Finance, driving the development of advanced Supply Chain Finance solutions that support clients’ strategic growth objectives and promote long‑term business sustainability for the African continent. He actively represents the bank on the BAFT Africa Council, ITFA Africa Council, and International Chamber of Commerce UK.

Mrs Varuna Bangaleea

Group Chief Executive Officer
nVisionIT (Mauritius & South Africa)

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Mrs Varuna Bangaleea

Varuna Bangaleea is the Group CEO of nVisionIT Group, a leading African software engineering and digital transformation company with operations in Mauritius and South Africa. With over 21 years of experience in technology leadership, she has successfully led the delivery of large-scale digital platforms for governments, financial institutions and enterprises across Africa.

She is currently pursuing a Doctor of Business Administration (DBA), with research interests in Artificial Intelligence, Digital Transformation and Organisational Performance.

Under her leadership, nVisionIT has delivered several nationally significant digital transformation initiatives, including the MauPass, the KOREK Government Super App, the LESPWAR Gender-Based Violence Platform, the SEKIRITE Emergency Response Application, digital justice systems, e-governance platforms and corporate governance solutions. She has also led the implementation of banking and financial services solutions operating across more than 10 African countries, supporting digital onboarding, identity verification, payment processing and customer lifecycle management for leading financial institutions.

In 2024, she won the Women in Tech® Africa Leadership Award and subsequently won the Global Women in Tech® Leadership Award, becoming the first Mauritian and African recipient of this prestigious global distinction. Under her leadership, nVisionIT received the Microsoft Global Partner of the Year Award 2023, together with several international innovation and technology excellence awards.

Mr Kevin Carpenen

Director
ASM Global Logistics Ltd & President, Association Professionnelle des Transitaires (APT)

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Mr Kevin Carpenen

Kevin Carpenen holds a career spanning over 20 years within the freight forwarding and supply chain industry. He currently occupies the position of Director at ASM Global Logistics Ltd, an international company specializing in freight forwarding, customs clearance, supply chain management, and integrated logistics solutions. His mandate for his organization includes setting strategic direction and implementing prompt actions, overseeing financial health, engage in risk management and ensure compliance and ethical practices with all stakeholders. Under his leadership, the team is committed to delivering efficient, customer-focused logistics services while embracing digital transformation and global best practices.

In addition to this distinguished corporate position, Kevin Carpenen serves as the President of the Professional Association of Freight Forwarders of Mauritius (APT). In this particular role, he works closely with industry partners and collaborators to promote innovation, professional development, and the continued growth of the logistics sector in Mauritius. During his tenure, he has successfully elevated the profile of the association through high level engagements during participation in key decision-making committees.

With a strong background in international trade and logistics, Kevin is recognized for his commitment to enhancing the competitiveness of Mauritius’ freight forwarding industry and fostering collaboration among public and private sector partners.

Mr Parmanand Vick Tahalooa

Operations Director and Partner
Port Agency Services Mauritius Ltd

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Mr Parmanand Tahalooa

Parmanand “Vick” Tahalooa is a highly experienced maritime and shipping professional with more than 30 years of operational and management experience in the shipping, container logistics, port agency, marine claims, and maritime services sectors.

Throughout his career, he has developed extensive expertise in container shipping operations, vessel husbandry, cruise operations, tanker and bulk vessel coordination, marine claims handling, cargo surveys, and maritime logistics management within the Indian Ocean region.

He currently serves as Operations Director and Partner of Port Agency Services Mauritius Ltd, one of the leading independent port agency companies in Mauritius, providing comprehensive services to container vessels, cruise ships, tankers, offshore vessels, naval vessels, fishing fleets, and bulk carriers calling at Port Louis and the outer islands.

Mr Tahalooa is also actively involved in the development of Mauritius as a regional maritime hub and represents several international maritime interests within the region.

Mrs Farzana Mouratsing

Business Development Manager, Projects & Logistics
Velogic Group

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Mrs. Farzana Mouratsing

Mrs. Mouratsing has over 25 years of extensive professional experience in the supply chain and logistics industry. Her specialised expertise spans across key operational areas, including freight forwarding, transportation management, warehousing solutions, and customs brokerage services. Throughout her distinguished career, Mrs. Mouratsing has worked with a diverse portfolio of regional and international organisations, where she has played a pivotal role in streamlining and optimising logistics processes to enhance efficiency and cost-effectiveness.

Mrs. Mouratsing is also passionate about knowledge sharing, having contributed to numerous workshops and training sessions aimed at empowering industry professionals and promoting sustainable logistics practices. Her in-depth industry knowledge, combined with a commitment to operational excellence, continues to make a valuable impact in the evolving landscape of supply chain management.

Mr Ravising Rawoody

Team Leader
Mauritius Revenue Authority

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Mr Ravising Rawoody,

Mr Rawoody oversees import and examining operations in the port. He is a highly experienced Customs professional with over 30 years of service in the Customs Department. He has developed extensive expertise in export procedures, customs regulations, and trade compliance, mainly in export. Mr Rawoody is also well-versed in the enforcement of Customs laws, with a strong track record of ensuring regulatory compliance, facilitating legitimate trade, and supporting effective customs operations.

Ms Anoushka Permalloo

Team Leader
Mauritius Revenue Authority

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Ms Anoushka Permalloo

Ms Permalloo is in charge of the Origin Unit of the MRA Customs Department. She has above 10 years’ experience in implementation of trade agreements, trade negotiations and management of rules of origin including preferential exports to Africa. She is involved in continuous training of the private sector and has actively been contributing to capacity building of Customs officials and traders with respect to interpretation of rules of origin under the AfCFTA. She is involved in trade negotiations of the AfCFTA and electronic Certificate of Origin continental development. She is the designated focal point for the AFCFTA Women & Youth in Trade for Customs matters and participated in building women awareness on rules of origin for preferential exports.

Mrs Nirmala Jeetah

Director Healthcare & Lifesciences, ITC SheTrades Mauritius Hub
Economic Development Board (EDB) of Mauritius

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Mrs. Nirmala Jeetah

Mrs. Nirmala Jeetah is the Director Healthcare and Lifesciences, ITC SheTrades Mauritius Hub at the Economic Development Board (EDB) of Mauritius, overseeing the healthcare, life sciences, and pharmaceutical sectors since August 2021. As from January 2024, she also assumed responsibility for the International Trade Centre (ITC) SheTrades Initiative, which aims to empower women entrepreneurs and integrate them into global value chains.

Prior to her current role, Mrs. Jeetah served as Head of the CEO’s Office and previously led the Manufacturing – New Industries cluster at EDB. She has also held senior leadership roles in the Planning & Policy cluster, and the Manufacturing, Freeport, and Agro-Industry departments at the former Board of Investment.

Mrs. Jeetah is a graduate of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators. She holds a Master’s in Investment Promotion and Economic Development from Edinburgh Napier University, a Master’s in Quality Management from Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen, and an MBA in Innovation and Leadership from Ducerre Business School, Australia.
With a career spanning nearly two decades, she brings extensive expertise in investment policy review, investment agreement negotiations, promotion strategies, and investment project facilitation. She has played a key role in Mauritius’ investment climate reform initiatives since 2006 and has represented the country on several international platforms to share Mauritius’ best practices in improving the ease of doing business.

From 2015 to 2017, she served as Chair of the SADC Investment Committee, contributing to regional investment policy harmonization and cooperation.

Mr Devesh Dukhira

Chief Executive Officer
Mauritius Sugar Syndicate

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Devesh Dukhira

Devesh Dukhira is the CEO of the Mauritius Sugar Syndicate (MSS), which is responsible for the sales of all sugars produced in Mauritius. This is a producer-driven organization, comprising both growers and millers as members, and its objective is the maximization of their sales revenue.

With a first degree in Electronic Engineering from Bristol University in UK and a Masters’ Degree in Management from Boston University in the US, Devesh joined the MSS in 2001 and has been responsible for the marketing of its sugars until 2015 when he acceded to the post of CEO. Prior to that, he worked in an investment and trade promotion organization for a period of 9 years, both in Mauritius and in the UK.

Mrs Heba Capdevila Jangeerkhan

Chief Executive Officer
Medine Group

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Heba Capdevila Jangeerkhan

Heba Capdevila Jangeerkhan is the Chief Executive Officer of Medine Group, where she leads with a clear vision for growth, innovation, and meaningful community impact. She holds a BA in Business Studies from The University of Sheffield and an MSc in Organisational Development from Sheffield Hallam University. Heba has built her career over the last 35 years starting overseas and since 1995 in leadership roles in Mauritius across Medine, Cementis Group, and Taylor Smith Group, gaining experience in strategy, operations, and people development. She also chairs the Mauritius Export Association and serves as a Non-Executive Director at CIEL Textiles. At Medine, Heba is passionate about supporting her teams, fostering collaboration, and creating lasting value. Her approach combines strategic thinking with a genuine care for people, ensuring that the company grows responsibly while maintaining strong connections with employees, partners, and the wider community.

Mr Desire Tsang

Managing Director
Dtsang Consultancy Ltd

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Mr Desire Tsang
  • Over 20 years of combined experience in freight forwarding and Freeport operations.
  • Over 25 years of business development experience across Africa, including: Tanzania, Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya, Mozambique, Madagascar
  • Extensive expertise in international trade, sourcing, procurement, and supply chain management.

Dtsang Consultancy Ltd (Areas of Specialization)

  • Sourcing industrial products from Asia for African markets:
    • Chemicals & fertilizers
    • Building materials
    • Machinery & industrial equipment
  • Facilitating supplier identification, procurement, and international logistics.
Ms Smita Bheenick

Senior Trade Specialist
International Economics Consulting

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Smita Bheenick

Smita is a Senior Trade Specialist at International Economics Consulting, with over a decade of experience in international trade policy, economic analysis, and project management. She specialises in trade policy analysis, strategy development and monitoring & evaluation. She has extensive experience on the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). She recently contributed to developing a results-based framework for monitoring AfCFTA implementation. She has conducted gap analyses for Mauritius on the AfCFTA Protocols on Digital Trade and Investment, identifying areas of alignment, implementation gaps and priorities for domestic reform. She has also contributed to updating the African Union’s Continental Strategy on the Diversification and Growth of African Exports and served as a key expert for a sectoral study to guide AfCFTA negotiations for trade in education services.

Prior to joining International Economics Consulting, Smita spent six years at the U.S. Embassy to Mauritius and Seychelles as Economic and Commercial Specialist, where she led economic reporting and supported trade and investment promotion initiatives, including AGOA-related export development and private sector engagement. She also worked as a Trade Analyst at the Mauritius Chamber of Commerce and Industry, contributing to national trade policy dialogue, export strategy development, and trade facilitation initiatives.

Smita holds a BEng in Biomedical Engineering from Imperial College London and an MSc in Finance from the London School of Economics and Political Science. She is also currently completing her Masters in Applied Economics from the University of Strathclyde.

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