Lagoonda Hotel, Freetown, Sierra Leone

ECA is supporting Sierra Leone’s Ministry of Trade and Industry in organizing the launch of the Sierra Leone Step-by-Step Guide for Trading Goods under the AfCFTA, together with the accompanying Trade Information Portal.

Developed by the Government of Sierra Leone, through the Ministry of Trade and Industry, with support from ECA, the Guide and Trade Information Portal are designed to equip businesses and traders with practical, accessible and easy-to-understand information on the requirements and procedures for exporting and importing goods under the AfCFTA framework. By simplifying access to essential trade information, these tools are expected to facilitate the effective participation of Sierra Leone’s private sector in intra-African trade, with particular attention to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and women- and youth-owned businesses.

The event will convene public and private sector stakeholders with the objectives of:

• Officially launching the Sierra Leone Step-by-Step Guide for Trading Goods under the AfCFTA and the accompanying Trade Information Portal;
• Formally introducing the tools to their intended users and demonstrating how they can be effectively used to facilitate trade under the AfCFTA framework; and
• Identifying priority follow-up actions, including wider dissemination of the tools, awareness-raising initiatives and training programmes.