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AfCFTA implementation strategy to be launched

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Namibia signed the AfCFTA Agreement on 2nd July 2018 and deposited the instruments of ratification on 1st February 2019.
Staff Reporter
The Ministry of Industrialisation and Trade (MIT) will launch the national African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) implementation strategy and its action plan on Monday (21st November 2022).

The ministry will also and conduct a training workshop on the status of the AfCFTA negotiations and the women and youth protocol at the Windhoek Country Club on Tuesday (22nd November 2022).

Namibia signed the AfCFTA Agreement on 2nd July 2018 and deposited the instruments of ratification on 1st February 2019. This means that the country is set to participate at the AfCFTA, enhancing particularly offering opportunities for economic diversification and value chains development and expansion, to achieve economic transformation.

The AfCFTA is integrating gender equality into states’ trade policies through their strategies for AfCFTA implementation, in response to gender equality. Its preamble recognises the importance of gender equality for the development of international trade and economic cooperation. Article 3 emphasizes the promotion of gender equality as one of the general objectives of AfCFTA, whereas, Article 27 of the Protocol on Trade in Services acknowledges the need to improve the export capacity of formal and informal service suppliers, with particular attention to micro, small and medium-sized operators and women and youth service suppliers.

Capacity

Part of implementation of the AfCFTA requires capacity building and training of potential beneficiaries on the opportunities the agreement presents. Due to gender inequality in the continent, women and youth entrepreneurs are faced with challenges of lack of access to information on opportunities in their environment and how to take advantage thereof.

Additionally, women and youth are often not aware of how to champion for inclusion in negotiation and implementation of agreements such as the AfCFTA.

It is in this context that the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) for Africa in collaboration with the MIT will jointly conduct a workshop in Windhoek on 22nd November 2022 to train women and youth entrepreneurs, corporates, and current and potential exporters on the awareness of the AfCFTA, understanding the benefits of the AfCFTA and how to benefit from it.

It will further train on inclusive participation of women in the implementation of the AfCFTA; and consultation on provisions to be included in the AfCFTA women and youth protocol.

The workshop will also explore gender-related provisions in trade agreements (global and sub-regional) and in AfCFTA strategies and provide an update on the status of ongoing AfCFTA negotiations to address identified gaps.

The training is also open to all journalists and media professionals in Namibia, who wish to broaden their knowledge on the AfCFTA, and is free and open to any individual who wishes to participate.

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Allgemeine Zeitung 2024-11-23

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