UN ECA, TradeMark Africa and Google Join Forces to Boost Digital Trade Across Africa
The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), through its African Trade Policy Centre (ATPC) and the African Institute for Economic Development and Planning (IDEP), has launched a new capacity-building initiative to empower government stakeholders and private sector actors, including women-led micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), to leverage digital technologies for intra-African trade. The initiative is financially supported by the Government of Japan and implemented in collaboration with TradeMark Africa (TMA), Google, and other partners.
The programme comes at a critical moment for the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), the world’s largest free trade area in terms of membership, covering over 1.4 billion people with a combined GDP approaching USD 3 trillion. While digital technologies offer significant potential to enhance trade, structural challenges such as gaps in digital infrastructure, regulatory harmonization, digital skills, and access to finance continue to limit opportunities, particularly for women-led businesses that face persistent barriers to digital inclusion.
