Nouakchott, 26 June 2025 (ECA) - The ECA Office for North Africa held on Thursday, June 26 the first session of an online awareness-raising workshop on "Unlocking Opportunities within the Framework of the AfCFTA in Mauritania."
ECA held the meeting for the benefit of Mauritanian youth and women-led SMEs in partnership with the division of planning of the Ministry of Youth Empowerment, Employment, Sports and Civic Service, the Ministry of Economy and Finance and the "Vadaat el aamal" program, a support and specialized services platform dedicated to innovative project holders under the Ministry of Employment and Vocational Training.
SMEs are key pillars of the Mauritanian economy where they account for about 80 percent of the national economic fabric, contribute 30 percent of GDP and 45.8 percent of jobs. Despite being a significant share of the national population, few women and youths are currently leading SMEs in Mauritania, said Adam Elhiraika, Director of the ECA Office for North Africa.
The June 26th meeting marks the start of a series of workshops scheduled in Mauritania on July 3rd, 8th, and 11th, 2025, and later, for the benefit of Libyan and Tunisian entrepreneurs in August and September 2025.
The workshops will enable participants to explore topics such as access to international markets and especially the African market, competitiveness and the development of products that can be exported, SMEs' access to financing and management, the use of digital tools, and adaptation to climate change through the adoption of green and sustainable practices.
This initiative is a continuation of the capacity-building workshops held for the benefit of women business leaders in Libya, Mauritania, and Morocco since 2023, which have trained some 400 women business leaders. It also aims to contribute to the implementation of Sustainable Development Goals 5 (Gender Equality), 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure), 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), and 13 (Climate Action).
Media queries
Houda Filali-Ansary - Communications Officer
ECA Office for North Africa
E-mail: filali-ansary@un.org
Issued by:
Communications Section
Economic Commission for Africa
PO Box 3001
Addis Ababa
Ethiopia
Tel: +251 11 551 5826
E-mail: eca-info@un.org