Empowering youth for inclusive trade

The Southern African consultation on the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Protocol on Women and Youth in Trade, held at the Mercure Hotel in Windhoek last week, shed light on the pivotal role women and young people play in African trade.

With the AfCFTA serving as a flagship project of Agenda 2063, aimed at establishing a unified African market, its mission to eliminate trade barriers and boost intra-African trade is clear. The consultation brought together young individuals from Namibia and across the continent to deliberate on these matters.

Namibia, in particular, faces challenges relating to weak innovation, limited technological capacities and financial hurdles for small and medium enterprises.

Consequently, it becomes crucial for young people to closely examine the framework, as it reveals the need for economic intervention to strengthen the Namibian economy and foster stronger bilateral relations with other African nations.



Unique opportunities

Daisry Obal, the presidential advisor on youth matters, underscored this perspective: "Countries as small as Namibia have legitimate fears, but when the borders become translucent, we compete with the rest of the continent."

This realisation presents a unique opportunity for young Namibians to actively engage in the AfCFTA process and contribute to its success.

Namibia's abundance of mineral and natural resources positions it to extend its trade beyond countries like China and India, actively engaging with African partners. By promoting intra-African trade, Namibia can progress towards Agenda 2063 with a more robust economy. However, the socio-economic and political landscape requires the active participation of young people to ensure that grassroots communities have the opportunity to benefit from the AfCFTA.

It is imperative for Namibia's youth to grasp the intricacies of the AfCFTA framework and actively participate in shaping its outcomes. By doing so, they can contribute to the empowerment of women and young individuals while simultaneously propelling Namibia towards economic growth and integration within the broader African market. The time for young people to seize this opportunity is now, as they must stand at the forefront of the AfCFTA process.