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The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) and DHL Express Sub-Saharan Africa have signed a new partnership aimed at helping African micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) increase their participation in regional and continental trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

The two organisations announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that will support African businesses through DHL's GoTrade programme, providing training and resources designed to help entrepreneurs expand beyond their domestic markets and tap into opportunities across the continent.

The agreement establishes a framework for cooperation in areas including digital transformation, trade innovation, research, knowledge sharing and capacity building, with a particular focus on women- and youth-owned enterprises.

As part of the initiative, ECA and DHL will jointly develop and deliver a virtual training programme aimed at helping SMEs better understand and utilise opportunities created by regional integration efforts, including the AfCFTA. The programme will cover practical aspects of cross-border trade such as customs procedures, logistics, e-commerce, digital trade, regulatory compliance, market access and trade finance.

The partnership comes as African policymakers and businesses seek to maximise the benefits of the AfCFTA, which has created a single market of more than 1.5 billion people. SMEs are expected to play a pivotal role in driving intra-African trade and supporting economic development across the continent.

"Many African businesses have the ambition to grow beyond their local markets, but they often face practical barriers, whether that's understanding customs requirements, accessing reliable logistics solutions or navigating new markets," said Hennie Heymans, Chief Executive Officer of DHL Express Sub-Saharan Africa.

He said regional integration initiatives had created significant opportunities for trade expansion but noted that businesses require the right skills and support to take advantage of them.

"Through this partnership with ECA, we want to help our SMEs build the capabilities they need to expand across borders, reach new customers and contribute to more inclusive economic growth across Africa," Heymans said.

The initiative builds on DHL's GoTrade programme, a global effort designed to help small businesses participate more effectively in international trade. Since its launch in 2021, the programme has supported more than 24,000 SMEs in over 50 countries worldwide, including more than 8,000 women-owned businesses.

In Sub-Saharan Africa alone, more than 8,000 SMEs have taken part in GoTrade projects and related capacity-building initiatives, according to DHL.

The ECA described the AfCFTA as one of Africa's most significant development projects, with the potential to accelerate industrialisation, strengthen regional value chains and deepen economic integration. The commission estimates that full implementation of the agreement could increase intra-African trade by 45% by 2045.

Under the MoU, the two organisations will collaborate for an initial three-year period, identifying and implementing programmes aimed at helping African businesses overcome barriers to cross-border commerce and access new regional markets.

The first activity under the partnership will be a virtual training series focused on enhancing MSME participation in intra-African trade, providing entrepreneurs with practical skills and knowledge to navigate the continent's evolving trade landscape.