LocationsStakeholders Validate Zambia Country Scan Under the ECoWYERT Project to Strengthen Youth and Women Participation in Regional Trade
June 4, 2026
Participants at the validation session held in Lusaka, Zambia
Lusaka, Zambia – 4 June 2026: The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) convened a high-level Validation Workshop for the Zambia Country Scan conducted under the Enhancing Capacities of Young Women and Youth-Led Enterprises for Regional Trade (ECoWYERT) Project.
The validation workshop brought together government representatives, development partners, financial institutions, private sector actors, business support organisations, youth representatives, women entrepreneur associations and cross-border trade stakeholders to review findings from the country assessment conducted to inform implementation of the ECoWYERT Project in Zambia. The session also provided an opportunity for stakeholders to give feedback on the project itself, with participants affirming its relevance to Zambia’s development priorities and pledging their support and partnership during implementation.
Implemented and led by UNDP in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, ECoWYERT is a five-year regional initiative co-implemented with the International Trade Centre (ITC), the COMESA Federation of Women in Business (COMFWB) and the Trade and Development Fund (TDF) across six countries; Botswana, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Malawi, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe from 2025 to 2030.
The country scan was undertaken to generate evidence and practical insights into the institutional, policy, financial, digital and market systems shaping the participation of young women and youth-led enterprises in intra-African trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). The assessment examined barriers, opportunities and ecosystem gaps affecting MSMEs, particularly those operating in rural, peri-urban, and border areas.
The findings reveal that Zambia has a vibrant but largely informal women and youth-led enterprise sector, with 85 percent of surveyed businesses led by women and 71 percent operating in peri-urban areas. However, the study found that many enterprises continue to face significant constraints, including limited access to finance, weak business support systems, low awareness of AfCFTA opportunities, digital exclusion, and persistent barriers at border posts.
The report also found that while many enterprises are already participating in cross-border trade, most remain concentrated in low-value trading activities and struggle to transition into higher-value regional value chains. The strongest growth opportunities identified include clothing and textiles, agricultural and food products, agro-processing and light manufacturing.
Speaking during the opening session, UNDP Resident Representative, Mr. James Wakiaga emphasized the importance of ensuring that young women and youth are positioned to benefit from Africa’s growing regional trade opportunities.
“ECoWYERT is not simply a business support project; it is an investment in the future of Africa’s young women and youth. By combining capacity building, access to finance and ecosystem strengthening, we aim to unlock their potential to participate meaningfully in regional trade, create jobs and contribute to inclusive and sustainable economic growth,” said Mr. Wakiaga.
UNDP Zambia, Resident Representative, Mr. James Wakiaga
Mr. Wakiaga noted that the project is expected to reach approximately 28,300 participants across the six countries, with at least 70 percent of beneficiaries being young women, particularly young rural women. The initiative is also expected to contribute to the creation of nearly 125,000 sustained and dignified jobs. Director for Small and Medium Enterprise Development at the Ministry of Small and Medium Enterprise Development, Ms. Pamela Chitulangoma, said the validation workshop represented an important step toward strengthening Zambia’s MSME ecosystem and ensuring that women and youth entrepreneurs are equipped to compete regionally.
“The Country Scan we are validating today gives us evidence on the institutional, policy and service constraints that affect how young entrepreneurs engage in intra-African trade. Validation is important because it ensures that what we take forward is grounded in reality, shaped by those who live it and aligned with what our market can sustain,” said Ms. Chitulangoma.
Ms. Pamela Chitulangoma, Director for Small and Medium Enterprise Development at the Ministry of Small and Medium Enterprise Development
Officially opening the workshop, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry, Ms. Lillian Bwalya, underscored the strategic importance of the AfCFTA for Zambia’s economic transformation agenda.
“The African Continental Free Trade Area presents the biggest market platform with a GDP estimated at 3 trillion dollars and a population of 1.4 billion, creating opportunities for investment and trade growth. However, realizing these benefits requires deliberate efforts and tailored interventions to ensure that women and youth-led enterprises are not left behind,” said Ms. Bwalya.
Ms. Lillian Bwalya, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry.
The country scan identified strategic border corridors including Kasumbalesa, Chirundu and Kazungula as priority areas for targeted interventions due to their importance in regional trade and the concentration of women and youth traders operating within these zones. Stakeholders at the validation workshop emphasized the importance of coordinated partnerships among government, financial institutions, development partners, and private sector actors to address systemic barriers affecting women and youth entrepreneurs.
The validated findings and recommendations from the country scan will guide the rollout of ECoWYERT interventions in Zambia, including entrepreneurship and trade capacity building, access to finance mechanisms, digital inclusion initiatives, market linkage support, and ecosystem strengthening aligned with AfCFTA opportunities.
About ECoWYERT
The Enhancing Capacities of Women and Youth-Led Enterprises for Regional Trade (ECoWYERT) Project is a five-year, multi-country regional initiative designed to facilitate participation of women and youth-led enterprises in regional trade under the Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA). In partnership with the Mastercard Foundation and led by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the project will be co-implemented by UNDP, the International Trade Centre (ITC), the COMESA Federation of Women in Business (COMFWB), the Better Than Cash Alliance (BTCA) and the Trade and Development Fund (TDF) across six countries: Botswana, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Malawi, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe from 2025 to 2030.
For media inquiries, please contact:
Rejoice Emmanuel - Communications Specialist – ECoWYERT Project
rejoice.emmanuel@undp.org