AfCFTA Awareness Raising Workshops Empower CSOs, Women, and Youth
The week of 13–17 October 2025 marked another winning week at ESAMI–trapca, as the Centre successfully hosted an onsite AfCFTA Awareness Raising Workshop for civil society organisations (CSOs), women, and youth groups drawn from across the East African Community (EAC) region. This impactful workshop was held under the African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF)-supported Capacity Development for Africa’s Structural Transformation (CADAST) programme, which aims to strengthen Africa’s institutional and human capacities for effective participation in continental trade and integration processes.
Women engaged in business, informal and cross-border trade, youth entrepreneurs, CSOs, and consumers are vital to shaping the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)’s real-world outcomes. Their engagement is critical for creating awareness, building community ownership, and fostering accountability in trade policy formulation and implementation.Despite their importance, these groups often face knowledge gaps, limited access to information, and structural barriers that restrict their participation in national and regional trade processes. The Arusha workshop provided a hands-on and interactive platform to address these challenges through applied learning, peer exchange, and collaborative engagement on AfCFTA provisions, trade facilitation, and inclusive advocacy.
