The New Partnership for Africa Development/ Africa Peer Review Mechanism (NEPAD/APRM) has trained Busia cross-border women traders on economic empowerment through governance and cross border trade protocols.
Speaking during the training in Busia, NEPAD/APRM Chairperson Sospeter Ojamong said the training is focusing on the African Union Agenda 2063 on trade, governance and development towards women.
Ojamong underscored the need to ensure traders understand on ways that would guarantee the sustainability of their business
“We are focusing on how traders will sustain their trade across the border. We are looking at good governance, how they can manage their business and even getting loans and how they can run their business in an easy way. We are also enlightening them on the cross-border protocols that should be observed while doing business,” said Ojamong.
He singled out the good governance between the states as the main booster of cross border trade among the East Africa states.
“Traders need to understand the rules and laws around African trade so that the business can be done in a conducive environment. Busia traders do their business in Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and Congo. With that, there is a need to understand the protocols on how to get licenses,” he said.
The Director of Programmes at NEPAD/APRM Kenya Secretariat Rose Kitur said they are helping in facilitating sustainable development programs in Kenya that helps in implementing the AU Agenda 2063.
“We are focusing on women’s economic empowerment and that’s why we are working with cross border women traders. These traders play a pivotal role in facilitating cross border trade and integration of the continent along the northern corridor. We are equipping them with the skills on the protocols under the African free trade area and giving them programs on the simplified trade agreement,” she said.
Mary Mbithi from the University of Nairobi said the African continental free trade area aimed at creating social economic development for the African people and ensuring proper inclusion in inter-Africa trade.
“We are creating awareness on the protocols of the African continental free trade area regarding women and youth. These protocols provide support for women and youth to build their capacity to be part of the free trade area. The area provides a market for over 1.3 billion African people to trade,” she said.
Busia County Director of Trader Austine Ndege said as a county government, they have initiated several programs that aimed at supporting the traders.
“We have focused on creating a good environment for our women to do business through construction of markets. We are also providing financial literacy and support for those in Sacco and self-help groups. This is done through enterprise funds and trade revolving funds that are geared at empowering the traders,” he said.
Busia Women Cross Border Traders Association Chairperson Florence Atieno said the training has given them an opportunity to understand that they could do business across the continent.
“We have come to learn how African countries can come together and do business and benefit through Africa continental free trade area as women in business. There is a need to do business on the continent free from any hindrances. We also need to put emphasis on our own products and work on how to make them to be marketable outside our continent,” she said.
Atieno lauded the East Africa Community on simplified trade regime adding that it has impacted small traders doing their business at borders. She added that it has given them an opportunity of doing a direct trade without including brokers.
“We are advocating for an increase in the capital requirement for a simplified trade regime to be increased from $2,000 to $5,000. We want to give women powers to do business and pay tax so that we can build our country,” she said.
She cited dollar fluctuation as one of the challenges they are facing as cross border with the traders calling on African leaders to come together and make their currency more valuable.
The training which focused on economic empowerment of women traders was carried out through the partnership of the NEPAD/APRM Kenya Secretariat, the East African Community, the University of Nairobi and Busia County Government.
By Salome Alwanda and Rodgers Omondi
