30/07/2026
Driving Cross-Border Trade Opportunities for Women-Led SMEs under the AfCFTA at RITF 2026
The Centre for Accelerated Women's Economic Empowerment (CAWEE) in partnership with Expertise France, ECOTRADE Project ,hosted a High-Level Panel Discussion during the 29th Rwanda International Trade Fair (RITF 2026) under the theme: "Advancing Cross-Border Trade Opportunities for Women-Led SMEs under the AfCFTA", July 29, 2026, in Kigali, Rwanda at Radisson Blu Hotel. & Convention Center, Kigali.
The event brought together policymakers, development partners, trade experts, private sector leaders, and women entrepreneurs to explore practical strategies to unloack regional trade opportunities and strengthening the participation of women-led SMEs in the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
At the official opening of the panel, brief remarks were delivered by Augustine Owusu, Team Lead of the ECOTRADE Project at Expertise France; by Doreen Ntawebasa, Director General of Trade at Rwanda's Ministry of Trade and Industry and Gemma Mbegabolawe, Principal Officer for Women and Youth in Trade at the AfCFTA Secretariat, who reaffirmed the importance of creating an enabling environment for women entrepreneurs to thrive in regional markets.
The panel was officially opened with remarks delivered by H.E. Mesfin Gebremariam, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia to the Republic of Rwanda and Non-Resident Ambassador to the Republic of Congo. In his keynote remarks, Ambassador Mesfin highlighted Ethiopia's Homegrown Economic Reform Agenda, emphasizing that the empowerment of Small & Medium Enterprises (SMEs) remains one of its central pillars. He also underscored Ethiopia's continued commitment to regional integration through investments in cross-border infrastructure, expanded electricity exports to neighboring countries & strengthened regional connectivity, positioning Ethiopia as a key hub for intra-African trade.
A key highlight of the event was the engaging panel discussion, moderated by Augustine Owusu, featuring a distinguished panel of experts:
- Dr. Nigest Haile – Founder and Executive Director, CAWEE
- Fred Murigande – Trade Negotiation & Cooperation Specialist, Ministry of Trade and Industry, Rwanda
- Gemma Mbegabolawe – Principal Officer, Women and Youth in Trade, AfCFTA Secretariat
- Dr. Kenenisa Lemi Debela – Secretary General, Ethiopian Chamber of Commerce and Sectoral Associations and
- Annet Sabiti – AWEP Rwanda Chapter Member and Founder & Owner of VeGet Solutions
During the discussion, Dr. Nigest Haile shared CAWEE's extensive experience in supporting women-led SMEs, highlighting the persistent barriers they face in cross-border trade - including limited market information, financing constraints, compliance challenges, lack of export readiness and access to regional markets. She also showcased the practical interventions CAWEE is implementing to strengthen women-led businesses through trade facilitation, capacity building, market linkages, policy advocacy and export readiness support.
Gemma Mbegabolawe provided valuable insights into the practical opportunities available to women entrepreneurs under the AfCFTA, highlighting the digital tools, policy frameworks and regional initiatives that are enabling women-led SMEs to participate more actively in intra-African trade & regional value chains.
The event was concluded with a closing remark delivered by Gloria Kamanzi, Chairperson of the African Women’s Entrepreneurship Program (AWEP) Rwanda Chapter & Annet Benegusenga, Head of the Private Sector Federation, Specialized Cluster for Women, Youth & Persons with Disabilities Entrepreneurs, Rwanda, who reaffirmed the importance of continued collaboration among governments, development partners, the private sector & business support organizations to accelerate inclusive trade across Africa.
As Africa continues to implement the AfCFTA, platforms such as this demonstrate the power of collaboration in creating meaningful opportunities for women entrepreneurs, strengthening regional value chains & driving sustainable economic transformation across the continent.
