On 30^th August 2023, KEPSA participated at the Intra-Africa Trade Fair Roadshow 2023, themed; ‘Unlocking the AfCFTA advantage in Kenya: Seizing opportunities for Economic growth and prosperity’, at a Nairobi Hotel.

At the trade fair, the Afrexim bank highlighted initiatives supporting the AfCFTA agreement's implementation and the benefits of its realization. Among other initiatives, they introduced the AfCFTA Adjustment Fund, aimed at enhancing intra-African trade by tackling infrastructure, industrialization, and regional value chain challenges. This aims to boost trade under the agreement, having committed 1 billion USD to this fund.

They introduced the Africa Trade Gateway digital platform, aiding businesses in utilizing AI and technology to address current challenges and overcome barriers within the AfCFTA. The gateway incorporates a Know Your Customer diligence platform named MANSA to gather information about businesses before engagement. Additionally, it provides a resource page that highlights regulations, requirements, and rules for trading within African nations.

KEPSA Chair, Mr. Jaswinder Bedi during the panel session emphasized on the immense potential of AfCFTA realization, given that Africa’s population stands at 1.4 billion. It has a combined market worth 3.5 trillion dollars, with Kenya contributing only 100 billion dollars. Economic growth hinges on market and product diversification, regional integration, and other strategies. Despite a mere 14.4% of African trade occurring within the continent, obstacles such as inadequate infrastructure impede intra-African trade, favoring external trade. Connectivity is vital for achieving swift market access.

Mr. Bedi continued to outline initiatives to facilitate African market entry by the Kenyan market, highlighting a strategy to construct warehouses for exporters' products, providing an opportunity for gradual market penetration, and fostering an export-driven economic surge.

Ms. Flora Mutahi, CEO Melvins Tea, accentuated that there are abundant opportunities for women and youth within Africa's market space, through identifying suitable supply chains, associations, or groups. The pivotal question is their readiness owing to the fact that business structuring and solidification precede venturing into available markets. Ms. Flora identified challenges faced by businesspersons, encompassing access to knowledge, skilled labor, financing, standardization familiarity, and logistical access to markets.

In conclusion, the roadshow discussions pointed out that effective AfCFTA implementation necessitates financing, trade, and investment in trade-enabling infrastructure, to address supply-side limitations and fully realize market access benefits. Bridging trade information gaps with the private sector is crucial to attracting private capital, hence supporting the AfCFTA's success and nurturing African economies as trade and investment hubs.

The event was attended by various dignitaries, government officials and private sector players.