AWIEF launches a USAID funded program: Enhanced SME investment and export readiness through a digital platform
Africa Women Innovation and Entrepreneurship Forum (AWIEF) (www.AWIEForum.org) in partnership with USAID Southern Africa Trade and Investment Hub (USAID TradeHub) is proud to launch a new program which will increase the investor, export readiness and competitiveness of 100 SMEs in Southern Africa.
The USAID funded ‘Enhanced Small Medium Enterprises (SMEs) Investment and Export Readiness Through a Digital Platform’ program is aimed at SMEs in Angola, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, and Zambia who are either already exporting or interested in exporting products to South Africa and/or to the United States.
The program aims to leverage the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), a United States Trade Act that significantly enhances market access to the US for qualifying Sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries, and valid until 2025, to drive export trade for the SMEs.
The objectives of this new AWIEF program are to: (a) increase exports from the Southern African countries to South Africa; (b) increase exports from all the nine targeted Southern African countries to the US, leveraging AGOA; and (c) support firms seeking specific trade-related technology transfer (e.g. labelling, branding, laboratories).
The comprehensive 8-week program will help strengthen participants’ governance, regulatory compliance, and risk management capabilities and will be implemented as an online training course through the AWIEF digital platform – the AWIEF Community.
AWIEF Founder and CEO, Irene Ochem says: “We are very excited to have won this project funding from USAID and to be partnering with USAID TradeHub. SMEs are the power engines of Africa economies and represent the bulk of all businesses in Africa. This program is about supporting Southern African entrepreneurs to expand their businesses by accessing new markets and trading beyond their borders. It is also important for SMEs to leverage the huge opportunities offered by AGOA to enter into international trade with the US.”
Call for applications
Applications are invited from all SMEs that are registered in the above-mentioned Southern African countries. Priority industry sectors include: Agriculture, Agro-processing, Textiles and Apparel.
To submit your application, please follow this link: https://bit.ly/374UYyg
The deadline for submission is Monday, April 11, 2022 at 11:59pm Central African Time (CAT). Applications will only be accepted through the link above.
Program Timeline
Applications open: Thursday, March 31, 2022.
Applications close: Monday, April 11, 2022 at 11:59pm CAT.
Recruitment: Tuesday, April 12 to Friday, April 22, 2022.
Program starts: Tuesday, 3 May 2022.
Read related news articles
Liberia: ECOWAS, USAID sensitise economic operators on AGOA, Food Safety Act in Liberia
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), in collaboration with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), commenced a two-day sensitization workshop for economic operators on the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) and Food Safety Act in Monrovia. However, the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) is a U.S. unilateral trade preference program that allows eligible countries in sub-Saharan...
19 July 2023
US recognizes top Mozambique exporters at second annual exporter awards ceremony [Video]
On August 11, USAID Mission Director Helen Pataki, joined by His Excellency the Minister of Industry and Trade Silvino Augusto José Moreno, His Excellency Governor of the Maputo Province Júlio Parruque, and other partners recognized the continuing successes of Mozambican exporters in 2022. [ Scroll to the bottom to view a video of the event ] This was at the second edition of the Annual Exporter Awards, a collaboration between the...
15 August 2022
USAID and Namibian government showcase successes in Namibia
Today, the Chargé d’Affaires of the Embassy of the United States to Namibia Jessica Long and representatives of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), together with the Namibian Government, reflected on the past six years of the Southern Africa Trade and Investment Hub (USAID TradeHub). The event in Windhoek brought together stakeholders from the Namibian market to share experiences, successes, and lessons...
03 August 2022
Angola: USAID seeks to boost Angola's exports to USA
Angolan entrepreneurs will be able to export agricultural products, beverages and others to the United States of America market, through the mediation of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). This information was provided today by the Acting Minister Counselor of the US Embassy in Angola, Christopher Hattayer, noting that the United States had been supporting efforts to increase economic growth in Angola since 2021...
04 April 2022
South African AGOA Exporter of the Year Award winners announced [incl. Video]
Technical Systems (Pty) Ltd today received the “South Africa AGOA Exporter of the Year” Award for their excellence and innovation in reaching the United States market, through the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). Veldskoen Shoes (Pty) Ltd was the winner in the small enterprises category. Two Greens Lemons received the award for medium enterprises, while Technical Systems (Pty) Ltd also emerged as the winner...
24 November 2021
USAID Administrator Samantha Power on financing new pathways to a stronger US-Africa economic partnership
Good morning everyone, it’s an honor to be here with you today at this year’s U.S.-Africa Business Summit. I want to offer a special thanks to Florie Liser and the Corporate Council on Africa for convening this important event. This year, USAID, the Agency that I have the privilege of running, turns 60. And for those 60 years, the U.S.’ relationship with the continent of Africa has largely been the same. It is a relationship rooted in...
29 July 2021
USAID Southern Africa to support upcoming Swakopmund international trade expo
The USAID/Southern Africa will collaborate with the government and the Namibia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NCCI) for the upcoming 7th Swakopmund International Trade Expo (SWAITEX). Dr Takele Tassew, Agriculture and Trade Advisor for the USAID/Southern Africa Regional Economic Growth Office, confirmed in a statement that this partnership is possible because of a meeting they had with the Ministry of Industrialization, Trade and SME...
03 October 2019
A look back on the East Africa USAID Hub as the project comes to an end
After five years, the East Africa Trade and Investment Hub (the Hub), a USAID project, is coming to a close. This is an expected end as USAID projects typically run for five years. Since the USAID Hub began in 2014, we have been fortunate to work with dedicated entrepreneurs, private sector organizations, governments and development partners. Together, we have supported eastern Africa’s private sector to access and leverage economic...
14 August 2019
US apparel buyer linked to sourcing opportunities in Madagascar
On August 26-30, the USAID East African Trade and Investment Hub conducted a buyer mission to Antananarivo, Madagascar for a large publicly listed U.S. apparel company. The U.S buyer engaged with apparel companies in Madagascar and identified several sourcing opportunities that could support its production of apparel and related fashion goods across several top brands. “Madagascar’s private sector is recognizing and fully embracing...
05 September 2018
USAID supports Kenya’s AGOA strategy to double duty-free exports by 2023
Kenya’s Ministry of Industry, Trade and Cooperatives has launched the Kenya National African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) Strategy and Action Plan (2018-2023) alongside Kenya’s National Export Development and Promotion Strategy. The new National AGOA Strategy outlines actions for priority sectors to increase the country’s exports to the U.S. by 10.4 percent annually. In 2017, Kenya exported goods worth $572 million to the...
31 July 2018