- MSEA and partners are training women and youth traders on AfCFTA opportunities during a two day programme running on July 20 and 21.
- The training focuses on market access, digital trade, finance and the AfCFTA Protocol on Women and Youth in Trade to help traders expand across Africa.
- An exhibition is showcasing products by Kenyan micro and small enterprises, including coffee, macadamia oil, detergents, fresh produce and bags.
The Micro and Small Enterprises Authority (MSEA) has joined the State Department for Trade, tralac (the Trade Law Centre), the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) and the Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA) to host a two-day training for Kenyan women and youth traders on the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
The training, running on July 20 and 21, is designed to equip participants with the knowledge and tools needed to take full advantage of opportunities under the AfCFTA, which links 54 African countries into a single market.
At the centre of the sessions is the AfCFTA Protocol on Women and Youth in Trade. The protocol was adopted by the AfCFTA Council of Ministers in December 2023 and endorsed by the African Union Assembly in February 2024.
It sets out measures to address the specific barriers women and youth traders face in accessing continental markets, including access to finance, capacity building, digital trade and protection from harassment.
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Kenya ratified the AfCFTA agreement in 2018 and has since developed a National AfCFTA Implementation Strategy for 2022 to 2027, which commits the country to mainstreaming women, youth, micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), and persons with disabilities in trade expansion.
As of early 2026, Kenya is also working to ratify and implement the AfCFTA’s Phase II and Phase III protocols, which include the Women and Youth in Trade protocol alongside those on investment, digital trade, competition policy and intellectual property rights.
Participants at the training are engaging with experts on trade policy, digital trade and practical trading tools. Private sector representatives are also sharing first hand experiences of trading under the AfCFTA framework.
Running alongside the training is an exhibition by micro and small enterprises (MSEs), showcasing Kenyan craftsmanship and enterprise. Products on display include coffee, macadamia oils, tallow oil, detergents, fresh produce and bags, among others.
By Benedict Aoya
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