By Mamadou Edrisa Njie
The Gambian leader Mr. Adama Barrow has informed the nation that, ITC SheTrades project seeks to connect three million women to markets by 2021.
Speaking at the National Assembly complex during his State of the Nation Address, he recalled that his government in partnership with the International Trade Centre (ITC) had launched the SheTrades Project Gambia Chapter on 27th February 2019.
President Barrow added that, this is a global initiative to empower women economically through trade and investment. He stated that the project seeks to connect three million women to markets by 2021.
As the chief of state told the nation, through this project, two hundred and fifty youths have been trained and deployed for service. While 12 percent of them are back-way returnees, 4 percent are physically challenged persons, as could be deduced from Barrow’s speech before the lawmakers.
It could be noted that SheTrades in The Gambia and the Youth Empowerment Project (YEP) are implemented by the International Trade Centre (ITC), in partnership with the Ministry of Trade, Industry, Regional Integration and Employment (MOTIE).
The SheTrades initiative provides women entrepreneurs around the world with a unique network and platform to connect to markets. Through the SheTrades app, women entrepreneurs are able to share information about their companies, increase visibility, expand networks, connect and internationalize.
SheTrades, which aims to connect one million women entrepreneurs to market by 2020, also helps corporations to include more women entrepreneurs in their supply chains.
Earlier dilating on Trade, Industry, Regional Integration and Employment, President Barrow reminded his audience that his government has kick-started reforms to improve the business environment in the country, promote investment and industrial activities and to establish a fair trading environment for private sector development.
“Action taken in this respect include the drafting of the 2018 Legal Metrology Bill to replace the current Weights and Measures Act of 1977; updating the National Trade Policy (2018-2022); development of a National Entrepreneurship Strategy; updating the Investment Policy and formulation of the Trade Strategy and Industrial Policy,” he remarked.
In its quest to spur industrialisation, the Gambia Investment and Import Promotion Agency (GIEPA), the President went on, has entered into a Joint Venture Agreement with TAF Africa Global for the development and management of an Industrial Park at the Banjul International Airport.
Barrow disclosed that this Joint Venture is an investment in excess of Three hundred million United States Dollars (US$3,000,000), with the potential to spur more economic activity. That the facility will be developed to house manufacturing entities, educational institutions, hotels, and office spaces.
To mitigate funding challenges faced by Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), according to Gambian leader, the first ever Gambia Angels Investor Network has been created by the Youth Empowerment Project (YEP) in close collaboration with GIEPA.
He informed that the parties will work to facilitate domestic and international investment in Gambian businesses, adding that the eventual objective is to trigger growth and development, and bridge income gaps.
He told Gambians that the National Business Council has been set up to provide a platform for the private sector and government to engage on business issues, and recommend policy options.
The government of The Gambia, he further indicated, is committed to implementing the regional integration programmes. Already, the quality policy framework for the improvement of The Gambia trading environment has been revised and fully aligned with the ECOWAS Regional Quality Policy.
The president promised that the document will be tabled before the National Assembly for discussion during the year.
Hear him: “Let me add that The Gambia now hosts the ECOWAS Regional Competition Authority headquarters. This office is now fully operational.”
To assure quality within the sector, and to produce a responsive legal framework for an effective National Quality Infrastructure, President Barrow stated that work is in progress to review the 2010 Gambia Standards Bureau Act.
