The Trade Beyond Borders Training Programme aiming to familiarise women entrepreneurs with trade logistics and global trade operations was launched on 17 March, in the presence of the Junior Minister of Finance, Mr Dhaneshwar Damry, and the Australian High Commissioner to the Republic of Mauritius, Ms Kate Chamley, at the Economic Development Board (EDB) in Ebene.
The Chairman of the EDB, Mr Sanjay Bhunjun, the Country Manager of DHL Express Mauritius, Mr Deepak Deepchand, and the Country Manager of DHL Global Forwarding Mauritius, Mrs Lalaina Rasolomanana, were also present.
The training programme is an initiative of the EDB and International Trade Centre SheTrades in collaboration with the DHL Go Trade initiative. It spans over a period of four months comprising eight sessions on key topics such as International Trade Regulations and Compliance; Logistics and Supply Chain Management; Digital Marketing and E-Commerce for Global Markets; and Market Access and Business Development.
In his address Junior Minister Damry underlined that the training targets mainly women-led enterprises with the aim to equip them with critical knowledge as well as skills and resources for international market expansion. It is also in line with this year’s International Women’s Day which is a call to accelerate action for the promotion of gender equality, women rights and empowerment, he said.
As per the Gender Gap Index, Mauritius ranks 107th out of 147 countries, which according to him, underscores the urgency to intensify efforts in terms of gender equality and women empowerment. Government, he said, is committed to promoting gender equality, inclusion and a more connected as well as competitive Mauritius in line with the aspirations of the population.
Mr Damry pointed out that the forthcoming budget will take into consideration societal challenges and will include a performance-based budgeting, providing both measurable and qualitative outcomes. “Social change, gender equality and inclusion are the qualitative outcomes that the Government wishes to bring”, he stated.
Speaking about Prime Minister Modi’s State visit to Mauritius, Mr Damry rejoiced the signing of an agreement for currency convertibility for trade which will significantly reduce costs of doing business. He also urged enterprises to invest more on innovation and research development. The EDB, he pointed out, will be called upon to review its strategy to attract more foreign direct investment not only in real estate but in other productive sectors such as financial services sector, blue economy and digital economy.
Mr Bhunjun, for his part, recalled that the SheTrades initiative was launched in 2024 with the objective to empower women entrepreneurs with the right tools, networks, and opportunities to thrive in global trade. The SheTrades Mauritius Hub has 223 registered members including 145 companies and 78 individuals, which according to him, is impressive. He also spoke of the GoTrade initiative of the DHL which aims at fostering an inclusive and sustainable economic growth in line with Sustainable Development Goal 8.
He further dwelt on the vital role of logistics in international trade serving as a bridge to connect businesses to global markets. According to Mr Bhunjun, it is important for women-led enterprises to have the requisite expertise to navigate customs procedures smoothly and meet the delivery expectation of international buyers. The Training programme, he added, will enable women entrepreneurs to enhance export readiness, minimise risks and compete effectively in the global market place.
Source: GIS
