UNECA CALLS FOR INCLUSIVE TRADE REFORMS TO EMPOWER AFRICA’S SMES AND AGRICULTURE SECTOR

UNECA has called on African governments to scale up targeted trade facilitation measures for SMEs and the agricultural sector.

Africa Eca Smes Agricultural sector Digitalized trade Facilitation.
United Nations Economic Commission for Africa
United Nations Economic Commission for Africa



As global momentum toward digitized trade gains traction, the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) has issued a critical call for African governments to ensure that small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and the agricultural sector are not left behind.

Speaking during the global launch of the 2025 United Nations Global Survey on Digital and Sustainable Trade Facilitation on July 8, Melaku Desta, Acting Director of ECA’s Regional Integration and Trade Division, emphasized that African nations must scale up targeted support for these vital sectors through sustainable trade facilitation measures.

“Enhanced implementation of trade facilitation measures for SMEs and agriculture is no longer optional; it is essential,” Desta stated. “These sectors form the backbone of African economies and must be empowered for the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to succeed.”

The sixth edition of the UN survey revealed that Africa has made meaningful progress, with a 6.8 percentage point increase in trade facilitation implementation from 55.6% in 2023 to 62.4% in 2025. The highest gains were recorded in Southern and Eastern Africa, reflecting active efforts to streamline and digitize trade-related processes.

Globally, trade facilitation implementation reached 70%, with developed countries and Asian regions leading the way. Yet, progress in sustainable trade measures, particularly those benefiting women, SMEs, and the agricultural sector, remains uneven and limited.

The survey highlights critical advancements in cross-border paperless trade, digital authentication, and legal frameworks for e-transactions, signaling a worldwide shift toward fully digitized trade. However, Desta warned that without focused support, Africa’s most vulnerable economic drivers risk being sidelined.

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