THE ARUSHA SYMPOSIUM

Hosting of the bi-annual Arusha Symposiums is a flagship event of PACPS Africa, with editions hosted in Arusha in 2017 and 2019. The 3rd Arusha Symposium (hosted in Zanzibar in November 2021 and presided over by the Executive President of the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar) focused on the socio-economic transformation of the African continent through increased intra-African trade, particularly the enhanced participation of women entrepreneurs. A wealth of knowledge, lessons and best practices related to the implementation of AfCFTA were established through policy consultation, policy dialogue and policy recommendations.

The 3rd Arusha Symposium provided the opportunity for:

  • Launching the APRM’s Report: A Study on the Opportunities in the AfCFTA for Women in the Informal Cross-Border Trade (ICBT) that was commissioned by the APRM Secretariat to examine ICBT from a gendered lens.
  • Creating and sharing a wealth of knowledge to raise awareness and support the identification and understanding of critical capacity challenges pertaining to efficient and successful implementation of AfCFTA and free movement of persons, and to stimulate the ratification and domestication of these instruments [at the continental as well as at regional and national levels].
  • Strengthening skills and capacities through policy dialogues, capacity-building workshops and publications. These targeted stakeholders at continental (AU and APRM), regional (RECs) and national (member states) levels, including political leadership (that included HE The President of Zanzibar), policy implementers, private sector organisations, and civil society organisations (particularly traders organisations) to overcome the challenges pertaining to the implementation of AfCFTA, with special emphasis on participation of women in trade.
  • Providing a platform for consultations with women in trade across the continent, particularly East Africa, to voice their views, interests, challenges and needs, as well as proffer solutions towards strengthening their capacities to fully benefit from the market opportunities provided by the AfCFTA. These consultations highlight a number of cogent opportunities, challenges and policy recommendations, many of which were reemphasized by panellists and delegates during the AfCFTA Secretariat’s sessions on Inclusive Trade at the Intra-Africa Trade Fair 2021 held in Durban, South Africa, in November 2021.

Resources