USAID, TradeMark Africa (TMA) have launched a Ksh. 65.5 million (USD 508,000) grant for private sector enterprises, in partnership with the East African Business Council (EABC). The partnership is expected to boost the trading potential of about 220 private sector enterprises including SMEs and 3000 farmers, processors, and private proprietors within the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
The three-year partnership funded by the USAID Economic Recovery and Reform Activity (USAID-ERRA), will focus on reducing trade constraints, especially for high-potential agricultural exports. This is including tea, mate, coffee, rice, vegetables, staple foods, cotton, textiles, and garments. EABC will also work to resolve 12 high-impact non-tariff barriers, facilitate trade deals through B2B market linkages, and increase awareness of market opportunities under the AfCFTA.
To this end, the initiative will engage key stakeholders. This includes the East African Women in Business Platform (EAWiBP), the East African Sub-Regional Support Initiative for Advancement of Women (EASSI), and YouLead.
Speaking at the launch event, David Rogers, Deputy Director for USAID Kenya and East Africa said, “This initiative underscores the need for increased collaboration across the region and sustained engagement with policymakers and the private sector on AfCFTA-related matters.”
David Beer, CEO at TMA, emphasized, “Private-sector action is critical to ensure a unified message from businesses to policymakers at national, regional, and continental levels.”
On his part, Adrian Njau, Ag. Executive Director at EABC, added, “Together, we will enable women, youth, SMEs, and other value chain actors to access trade policy instruments and participate in intra-Africa trade.”