The Economic Development Board (EDB), in partnership with the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, hosted a three-day regional workshop entitled Unlocking opportunities for women entrepreneurs in Southern Africa’ under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
The workshop saw the participation of stakeholders hailing from 21 women-led enterprises across Africa and 50 enterprises from Mauritius, in the presence of the Minister of Gender Equality and Family Welfare, Mrs Marie Arianne Navarre-Marie; the Junior Minister of Finance, Mr Dhaneshwar Damry; the United Nations Resident Coordinator for Mauritius and Seychelles, Ms Lisa Simrique Singh; and the Chief Executive Officer of the EDB, Mr Abhimanu Kundasamy.
In her keynote address, Minister Navarre-Marie reiterated the government’s resolve to empower women and, at the same time, ensure equal opportunities for all, set against the context of the African Union’s flagship projects under Agenda 2063.
“The landmark agreement aims to create a single continental market for goods and services with free movement of businesspersons and investments across Africa,” she underlined.
“The AfCFTA opens doors to unprecedented opportunities for trade and economic growth, connecting over 1.4 billion people and generating a combined Gross Domestic Product of around 3.4 trillion US dollars,” said Mrs Navarre-Marie.
She also recalled that women entrepreneurs are at the heart of this transformation, with the workshop posing as a gateway to new markets, partnerships, and new possibilities under AfCFTA.
Women entrepreneurs face several challenges, such as access to finance, gaps in digital and business skills, market barriers, and underrepresentation in terms of decision-making making serving as discussion topics.
On the issue of stepping up Africa’s inclusive prosperity, Minister Navarre-Marie urged women entrepreneurs to forge strong and supportive networks spanning across the continent and buttressing regional cooperation to be able to compete more effectively on the global stage.
Junior Minister Damry made a strong pitch on the Government’s willingness to support women-led businesses and to leverage economic confidence among local and international traders.
“It is important to address challenges and external shocks such as disruption in supply chains and financial systems to tap into the full potential of the African continent, especially in trade and business ventures,” he said.
He added that Africa needs to prepare itself to adapt to changes in the financial world, engineered by bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. “The AfCFTA,” he stated, “represents a bold and ambitious step toward economic integration across the continent.”
Minister Damry referred to World Bank estimates while noting that the agreement carries the potential to lift some 30 million out of poverty and spur intra-African trade to the tune of 30 percent.
