The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) has issued a strong call to African governments to boost support for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and the agricultural sector through targeted and inclusive trade facilitation strategies.
Speaking at the global launch of the UN 2025 Survey on Digital and Sustainable Trade Facilitation on 8 July, Melaku Desta, Acting Director of ECA’s Regional Integration and Trade Division, emphasized the pivotal role SMEs and agriculture play in the continent’s economic structure.
“It is crucial to accelerate the implementation of specific policies in favor of SMEs and agricultural trade, which are the pillars of African economies,” Desta said, underlining their central importance in the rollout of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
The UN survey revealed that Africa’s implementation rate of trade facilitation measures has risen from 55.6% in 2023 to 62.4% in 2025.
Southern and Eastern Africa have shown the most notable progress, reflecting an increasing commitment to improving trade flows across borders.
Despite these gains, the report highlights that specific initiatives directed at women traders, small businesses, and the agricultural sector still lag behind. While the global average for trade facilitation implementation now stands at 70%, inclusion remains a significant gap.
Nevertheless, the survey praised Africa’s advancements in areas such as paperless trade, secure electronic transactions, and digital authentication — key components in building a modern, transparent, and efficient trading environment.
As digitalisation accelerates globally, ECA’s latest appeal underscores the need for African nations to ensure that the benefits of trade reform are broadly shared.
By prioritizing SMEs and agriculture — sectors that employ the majority of the population — the continent can foster more resilient, sustainable, and inclusive economic growth.
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