Mauritius Hosts AfCFTA Workshop to Empower Women Entrepreneurs and Advance Inclusive Trade

Balaclava, Mauritius, 03 September 2025 (ECA) - Reaffirming its commitment to driving regional integration and women's economic empowerment, Mauritius hosted a historic capacity-building workshop and a B2B event on "Unlocking Opportunities for women entrepreneurs in Southern Africa under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)." The event was co-organized by the Economic Development Board (EDB) of Mauritius, the ITC SheTrades Hub and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) Subregional Office for Southern Africa and brought together women entrepreneurs, policymakers, and private sector leaders from across the region.

Bringing together women entrepreneurs from 15 African countries across Southern and Eastern Africa, including Mauritius, the workshop created a vibrant knowledge platform. It empowered participants to explore how women-led businesses in Africa can take advantage of market access opportunities, foster lasting cross-border networks, and harness the immense promise of the AfCFTA, the world's largest free trade area, connecting 1.4 billion people with a combined Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of over USD 3.4 trillion.

In her keynote address, Hon. Marie Arianne Navarre-Marie, Minister of Gender Equality and Family Welfare of the Republic of Mauritius, highlighted the transformative role women entrepreneurs play in shaping economies. "When women trade, they create prosperity. When women rise, entire communities rise, and when She Goes Global, Africa moves forward with confidence and pride. Women entrepreneurs are Africa's competitive edge, and AfCFTA is their gateway to limitless opportunities."

She commended the efforts of the SheTrades Mauritius Hub, which is equipping women entrepreneurs with tools, knowledge, and market intelligence to scale their businesses from local to regional, continental and global.

The Minister further underscored the importance of collaboration. "Yes, challenges remain -from access to finance to gaps in digital skills and underrepresentation in decision-making. But these challenges also open doors for creativity, leadership, and transformation. By working together, women entrepreneurs will not only strengthen their enterprises but also drive inclusive growth, innovation, and prosperity for Africa."

In his opening remarks, Hon. Dhaneshwar Damry, Junior Minister of Finance in Mauritius emphasized the role of AfCFTA as a catalyst for inclusive growth, noting that "AfCFTA is not just a trade agreement, but a transformative tool for resilience and growth. Placing women entrepreneurs at the heart of this process is essential. Research shows that when women participate in business, economies are stronger, GDP grows faster, and communities prosper."

Underscoring the importance of the workshop, Chief Executive Officer of EDB, Mr. Mahen Abhimanu Kundasamy stated, "This workshop is not routine, it is a platform for action. Our message is simple but profound. Gender-inclusive trade is not just about fairness, it is essential for competitiveness and sustainability. The AfCFTA's success will only be sustained if women are at its centre, not at its margins."

In her remarks, Ms. Eunice Kamwendo, Director of the UN Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) Subregional Office for Southern Africa acknowledged Mauritius's pivotal role in promoting inclusive trade. "African women entrepreneurs are not only participants in trade, but leaders and architects of Africa's economic transformation. The Protocol on Women and Youth in Trade is a landmark step toward addressing systemic barriers and ensuring women thrive under AfCFTA."

Recognizing Mauritius's leadership in trade and integration, Ms. Kamwendo commended the Government of Mauritius and EDB for hosting the event, "Mauritius is an innovation-driven economy, committed to gender-responsive trade policies, and home to the SheTrades Mauritius Hub, which has already supported many women-led enterprises to expand their reach."

Ms. Lisa Simrique Singh, UN Resident Coordinator for Mauritius & Seychelles, reaffirmed the UN's commitment to the achievement of SDGs, stressing that women's empowerment and gender equality are vital to accelerating transformation. She emphasized that AfCFTA offers a pathway to greener, more inclusive, and resilient economies, with the UN's 24 agencies in Mauritius ready to support this agenda.

The workshop emphasized the importance of SDG 5 on Gender Equality, highlighting trade as a driver of women's economic empowerment. Opportunities for growth were noted in ICT, logistics, finance, healthcare, and tourism, but participants also pointed to persistent barriers such as limited access to finance, digital tools, and low women representation in key policy making bodies.

A practical training on the International Trade Centre (ITC) trade tools took place on the 2 September 2025, led by Mr. Christophe Durand. The training equipped over 70 women entrepreneurs with skills to use the ITC market analysis tools, mainly the Trade Map tool to identify market access opportunities under the AfCFTA.

Participants underscored the need for streamlined trade processes, gender responsive policies, digital skills and stronger partnerships as key for scaling women-led SMEs under AfCFTA.

Looking ahead, Mauritius seeks to leverage AfCFTA to diversify into digital, blue, and green economies, while reinforcing its role Africa's investment and logistics hub. The event concluded with a collective pledge by all, "Together, we are building a stronger, more inclusive Africa where women-led enterprises can thrive under the AfCFTA framework."

Contacts:

Ms. Nirmala Jeetah - Director, Bio Industry & Project Development, ITC SheTrades Mauritius Hub Economic Development Board, Mauritius. Email :[email protected]

Ms. Bineswaree Bolaky - Economic Affairs Officer and Gender Focal Point, Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), Sub Regional Office for Southern Africa (SRO-SA) Email: [email protected]

Media Contacts:Mr Bedson Nyoni - Senior Information Management AssistantEconomic Commission for Africa (ECA), Sub Regional Office for Southern Africa (SRO-SA)Email: [email protected]

Issued by:Communications SectionEconomic Commission for AfricaPO Box 3001Addis AbabaEthiopiaTel: +251 11 551 5826E-mail: [email protected]