Yaounde, 12 November 2025 (ECA) — The Subregional Office for Central Africa of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), in collaboration with the Ministry of Trade and Industry and the Ministry of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises and Private Sector Promotion, and in partnership with the Office of the United Nations Resident Coordinator, with the financial support of the Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA), is organizing a national workshop to build the capacities of SMEs, followed by a high-level policy dialogue on competitiveness and the integration of Central African enterprises into regional value chains, from 12 to 14 November 2025 in Bangui, Central African Republic (CAR).
This DANIDA-funded initiative aims to strengthen the capacity of vulnerable African countries, including the Central African Republic, to integrate their SMEs into regional value chains—a critical lever for economic diversification, industrialization, and inclusive growth.
SMEs at the heart of CAR’s economic transformation
In the Central African Republic, micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) account for over 90% of the formal business sector and serve as a cornerstone of national growth. However, most operate in the informal economy and remain poorly integrated into regional markets.
Despite strong potential in agribusiness, textiles and apparel, wood processing, and mining, Central African SMEs face persistent challenges: low levels of local value addition, limited awareness of regional standards, restricted access to finance and logistics infrastructure, and weak collective organization.
To address these constraints, ECA, with the support of DANIDA, has launched a series of initiatives designed to enhance the competitiveness, sustainability, and regional integration of SMEs in the context of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
A Policy Dialogue to Foster an Enabling Environment for SMEs
The first two days of the event will focus on training 25 SMEs on AfCFTA trade rules, product certification, sustainable production, and strategic market positioning within regional and continental value chains.
The third day will be dedicated to a high-level policy dialogue bringing together national authorities, private sector representatives, development partners, and the UN system.
This dialogue aims to validate a national roadmap and an indicative portfolio of bankable projects to foster the integration of Central African SMEs into regional value chains under the AfCFTA, in alignment with the SME Code, the National Development Plan (NDP 2024–2028), and the country’s economic diversification priorities.
DANIDA: A Key Partner for Sustainable Economic Development
DANIDA’s support to this initiative reflects the Kingdom of Denmark’s strong commitment to promoting sustainable, inclusive, and resilient growth models across Africa.
Through this strategic partnership, ECA and DANIDA are helping African governments implement data-driven policies, strengthen private sector capacities, and mobilize competitive regional value chains as drivers of transformation.
“With the support of DANIDA, ECA is strengthening the capacity of Central African SMEs to access regional markets and become engines of diversification and structural transformation,” said Jean Luc Mastaki, Director of the ECA Subregional Office for Central Africa.
The UN Resident Coordinator in the Central African Republic commended this initiative as an exemplary partnership between ECA, the Government of the Central African Republic, and DANIDA, aligning with national priorities for economic recovery, social inclusion, and peacebuilding through development.
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Zacharie Roger MBARGA - Communications Officer
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