At a session organized by the Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and the International Trade Centre (ITC) as part of the 2022 World Trade Organization (WTO) Public Forum, experts urged the private sector to seize opportunities brought about by the green transition in Africa. The panel discussion entitled “MSMEs: The Key to Realising Sustainable Gains Under the AfCFTA”, moderated by Melaku Desta, Coordinator of ECA’s African Trade Policy Centre, explored sustainable initiatives to integrate green solutions in Africa’s small businesses, and attracted more than 100 online and face-to-face participants. Panelists also underscored the sustainable gains to be harnessed from green trade alongside the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and called on micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) to anticipate challenges as businesses seek to integrate green solutions. In her keynote address, Dorothy Tembo, ITC Deputy Executive Director highlighted ITC’s Green2Compete initiative, which supports small businesses in enhancing their competitiveness by integrating green production techniques for sustainable trade.
SOURCE: BUSINESS DAY LIVE