Is the AfCFTA the world’s most youth and women-friendly trade agreement?

The AfCFTA has been touted as the most world’s most youth and women-friendly trade agreement. Is that so? The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is being designed to promote inclusive and sustainable economic development, which includes youth and women participation in trade. While it is still early to assess the full impact of the agreement on these groups, there are some features of the agreement that make it potentially more youth and women-friendly than other trade agreements:

Inclusive trade: The AfCFTA seeks to create a single market for goods and services across Africa, which can promote greater economic integration and inclusivity. This can open up new opportunities for youth and women entrepreneurs to participate in regional and global trade.

Focus on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs): SMEs make up a significant portion of businesses in Africa, and the AfCFTA recognizes their importance in driving economic growth and job creation. The agreement includes provisions to support SMEs, such as simplifying customs procedures and reducing non-tariff barriers to trade.

Gender mainstreaming: The AfCFTA includes provisions to promote gender equality and empower women in trade. For example, it requires member states to develop gender-sensitive policies and programs and to collect and analyse gender-disaggregated data on trade.

While the AfCFTA has the potential to be a more youth and women-friendly trade agreement, it is important to note that its impact will ultimately depend on how it is implemented at the national and regional levels. Governments, private sector actors, and civil society organizations will need to work together to ensure that the agreement delivers on its promises of inclusive and sustainable economic development. It is therefore critical to understand the ways in which the implementation of the framework can be done to enhance the inclusion of the youth and women in Africa.