By Deborah Asantewaah SARFO
The Board Chair of Trade Mark Africa (TMA) and a former Ethiopian Prime Minister, Hailemariam Desalegn Boshe, has underscored the role of trade systems that support women – describing them as a practical solution to West Africa’s economic challenges.
Speaking at the launch of the ‘Making Trade Work for Women in West Africa project (MTWW)’, he indicated that African women in cross-border trade face several barriers such as excessive gender work and unpredictable fees among others – which translates into a slowdown in economies and increases cost, emphasising that creating avenues for these women to thrive is the practical solution to the region’s problems.
“We have witnessed some of these challenges -excessive gender work, unpredictable fees – and these problems are frustrating for any business. But for women traders, they can be a complete problem. This is not just their problem, it is a trade problem as it shows a slowdown in economies and increase of costs. That is why making trade work for women in West Africa is a practical solution to the main economic problems we face in our region,” he said.
A World Bank study along the Tema-Ouagadougou and Abidjan-Lagos corridors revealed that women make up 38 percent and 61 percent of traders respectively, many of whom have reported negative experiences stemming from border and market infrastructure.
Mr. Boshe noted that despite women’s participation in the informal cross-border trade amounting to over 50 percent, they are left behind; and it points to the fact that “gender inequity costs sub-Saharan Africa approximately US$95billion every year”.
He emphasised that this statistic affirms the immense potential of women who continue to provide that portion of the workforce.
The MTWW project, led by CECI and Trade Mark Africa (TMA) with funding from Global Affairs Canada, aims to support 80,000 traders – at least 70 percent of whom are women – by enhancing their access to markets, financial services and sustainable trade practices while addressing gender-based barriers at border crossings.
The six-year project (2024-2030), with support worth US$19,700,000 funded by Global Affairs Canada, will be implemented along key corridors in Burkina Faso, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Togo, Benin and Nigeria. It aims to enhance border safety and gender sensitivity, implement gender-responsive Trade Policies, strengthen women’s associations and develop inclusive regional value chains.
However, Mr. Boshe pointed out that “good policies do not mean much if they do not translate into better business conditions”. He urged government, the private sector and regional bodies on the continent such as ECOWAS and AfCFTA to ensure that the regulations reflect earnings.
According to the High Commissioner of Canada, Myriam Montrat, the initiative by CECI and TMA falls within the Canadian government’s main priorities, hence they have invested in the project – reiterating that “when women thrive, the community, family and entire country also thrives”.
The Programmes Manager of MTWW and CECI, Madeleine Tsimi, noted that the project is not just crucial but urgent and time-sensitive, aiming to create a more inclusive business environment for women and marginalised groups.
She mentioned that the project, will develop national work plans in each country and collectively work with other initiatives – such as the EAT project, ECOWAS and African Union support projects – to implement the AfCFTA with GIZ.
Chairwoman-National Cross Border Trader Women Association, Gloria Sackey, commended the initiative and emphasised that they look forward to practical solutions that support her members and other cross-border traders.
