Ghanaian Minister of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare said on Thursday that the government is positioning women and youth to leverage opportunities under the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) for their development.
Speaking at the ongoing Africa Prosperity Dialogues, Ofosu-Adjare said the efforts form part of the country’s agenda to advance gender equity and inclusive growth by integrating women into trade, agribusiness, and industrial value chains, with a strong emphasis on agro-processing and export readiness.
“This strategy recognizes women’s economic empowerment as a vital driver of industrialization and competitiveness under the AfCFTA,” the minister added.
She said the ministry has so far sensitized more than 2,800 businesses on procedures and market access and provided specialized export-readiness support through partnerships with international organizations.
Ofosu-Adjare added that nationwide enterprise development programs have also equipped more than 155,000 entrepreneurs with skills, provided start-up capital to over 6,000, and improved access to finance, mainly for women- and youth-led micro, small and medium enterprises.
The Africa Prosperity Dialogues have been held annually since 2023 by the Africa Prosperity Network, a continent-wide independent think tank based in Ghana.