The Dutch government and Trade Mark East Africa (TMA) have committed to improve the financial fortunes of women in East Africa’s cross-border trade. Through the ‘Women in Trade’ programme, the Netherlands authorities aim to reach 25,000 women in Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania and Burundi by the end of this year.
Trade Mark has signed a $500,000 (Sh50 million) agreement with the International Trade Centre (under the programme to support 800 women-owned SMEs to access international markets.
While addressing trade exhibitors at a Nairobi hotel, Dutch Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation Lilianne Ploumen said there is need to support the women businesses to complement statistics that show they own over 40 per cent of business in East Africa.
“Research has shown that empowering women to trade is good for the economy, society and women themselves,” she said while touring a trade exhibition on the sidelines of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development in Nairobi.
TMA director general David Stanton said supporting women in trade is part of the organisation’s vision to foster inclusive and sustainable economic development. “The partners will work to improve export opportunities for women enterprises in East Africa, and strengthening the capacity of institutions and associations to effectively support women entrepreneurs,” he said.
Stanton said TMA was committed to increasing its support to women, with a vision of reaching at least one million more women in the second phase of the programme.
However, Ploumen regretted that, despite the prevalence of women-owned SMEs and the growth potential offered by the target sectors recording high numbers, the traders face significant constraints to their competitiveness and participation in trade.
The Women and Trade programme valued at $4.5 million (Sh450 million) was launched last year and aims to address challenges women traders face, to enhance trade, which in turn would improve their incomes and livelihood. Busia Cross Border Traders chairperson Mariam Babu said her members were experiencing a disconnect with border officials.
Source: Mediamax

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