The African Union 3rd MSMEs Forum Billed for Sep 9 -13 in Windhoek, Namibia

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The African Union, in line with its Small and Medium Enterprises Strategy, will hold its 3rd Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) Forum under the theme: “Fostering Financial Empowerment and Educational Innovation for African Startups and MSMEs” come September 9-13 in Windhoek, Namibia.

The annual AU MSMEs Forum is designed to foster engagement between African SMEs experts and entrepreneurs on how to tackle the challenges facing small businesses and accelerate their growth under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

This year’s Forum will include a variety of activities aimed at equipping MSMEs with the right information and skills to pursue intra-African trade across prioritised sectors, namely agriculture, manufacturing, information and communications technology, minerals, and creative industries. These sectors are aligned with AU’s SME Strategy, Fashion Industry Development Strategy and the Commodity Strategy while supporting Agenda 2063’s vision of empowering African small businesses.

A statement by the AU Commission ahead of the upcoming Forum said the highly interactive forum will attract policymakers, investors and stakeholders from across the continent who will explore strategies for addressing funding constraints and leverage the MSMEs sector to drive economic growth, foster innovation, and contribute to long-term job creation in Africa.

“It is imperative to recognize the importance of financial empowerment and educational innovation in unlocking the full potential of African startups and MSMEs. Equipping entrepreneurs with access to capital, financial literacy, and cutting-edge educational resources will empower them to overcome barriers, seize opportunities, and thrive in an increasingly competitive landscape. This Forum will catalyze actionable insights, foster cross-border collaboration, and induce sustainable growth within the MSME ecosystem,” said the statement.

The weeklong Forum, to be held in partnership with the Namibian Investment Promotion and Development Board (NIPDB), will also feature the launch of the inaugural Enterprise Africa Network (EAN) Fellowship focused on adapting businesses to the current economic climate in Africa and offering selected MSMEs intensive training courses and mentorship sessions to enhance their strategies to meet market demands. The EAN seeks to develop a pool of entrepreneurs to supply the integrated African market ushered in by the AfCFTA.

Recall that, in recognition of the strategic role of private sector-led growth in Africa’s sustainable economic development, the 20th Ordinary Session of the AU Conference of African Ministers of Industry (CAMI 20) directed Member States to foster enabling environments for SMEs growth. The AU subsequently developed an SME Development Strategy and Action Plan which prioritizes the economic empowerment and inclusion of SMEs as the basis for developing intra-African value chains and bolstering regional trade.

The MSME Forum, an outcome of the SME Strategy, is an important platform for knowledge sharing on the status of MSME development in Africa and plays a key role in spearheading programs that reflect the current state of MSME development on the continent. The maiden AU MSME Forum was held in Cairo, Egypt in June, 2022, while the second edition took place in September 2023 at Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.