Kenyan Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) owned by women and youth are set to benefit from the TradeConnect Initiative programme.
The programme seeks to leverage opportunities in the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
This is after the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry in collaboration with the Kenya Association of Manufacturers signed a partnership to implement the SME export programme that will facilitate sustainable inclusive growth.
The programme has been funded by The British High Commission (BHC), through the Regional Economic Development for Investment and Trade (REDIT) Programme, implemented by TradeMark Africa (TMA).
Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) will on November 7, 2024 flag off the first batch of goods under the TradeConnect Initiative.
The goods will facilitate SME exports to DRC, South Sudan and Zambia under the TradeConnect Initiative.
TradeConnect Africa is a transformative project led by Real Sources Africa, designed to enhance intra-African trade by connecting manufacturers, SMEs, and exporters across the continent.
It focuses on optimizing logistics, financial inclusion, and market expansion to support businesses looking to export goods within Africa.
The initiative aims to move 1,000 containers of assorted goods across Africa over the next 12 months.
It focuses on streamlining logistics and supply chain management, improving access to trade finance, empowering SMEs, manufacturers, and exporters to reduce trade barriers and improve the competitiveness of African products, and promoting regional integration under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) framework.
The TradeConnect Initiative focuses on Export Aggregation by consolidating goods from multiple SMEs to create larger, competitive export volumes.
The approach enhances economies of scale, streamlines logistics, and ensures consistent product supply to meet international market demands.
It also prioritises innovative solutions to optimize production, improve product quality, and facilitate cross-border trade including leveraging technology, digitizing supply chains, and exploring new market entry strategies to keep African businesses ahead in a dynamic global market.
TradeConnect promotes the inclusion of youth and women entrepreneurs by equipping them with the tools, resources, and market access needed to succeed in regional and international trade.
The initiative advocates for the seamless implementation of its protocols by working with stakeholders to reduce trade barriers, promote intra-African trade, and unlock the full potential of regional integration.
Key partners in the initiative include the Ministry of Cooperatives and MSME Devt’, Ministry of Investments, Trade and Industry, AfCFTA Secretariat, British High Commission, Kenya National Chamber of Commerce, Kenya Association of Manufacturers, Micro Small and Medium Enterprise and Trademark Africa.
Others are DHL, Autoports and KCB Bank.
