According to Rosy Fynn, the Ghana Country Director for the Mastercard Foundation, the organization is working on solid strategies to help entrepreneurs get ready to take advantage of the numerous opportunities the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) presents.

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She claims that the Foundation has initiated significant discussions with the AfCFTA secretariat as part of its preparations to identify chances for young businesspeople who are succeeding to get into the continent's largest market.

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She said the Foundation will involve these entrepreneurs in a number of capacity-building programmes to make sure they are well-positioned for the opportunity, and to give them an understanding of how they can join-in and do business with other companies.

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“There are actually concerted efforts and discussions going on with the AfCFTA to find opportunities for young people to take advantage of trade opportunities, and this is something that is certain. The Mastercard Foundation is going to be definitely involved in training and building up capacity to be able to take advantage,” she said at the Youth Economic Forum (YEF) in Accra.

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The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement will create the largest free trade area in the world, measured by participating countries involved. The pact connects 1.3 billion people across 55 countries with a combined gross domestic product (GDP) valued at US$3.4trillion.

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It can help 30 million people escape the worst types of poverty; but in order to fully realise its potential, considerable policy changes and trade facilitation measures must be made.

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This, the Mastercard Foundation believes, is arguably the best opportunity for the economy’s most significant transformation; as such, it will remain committed to getting behind the ambitions of young Ghanaians and creating pathways to dignified and fulfilling work opportunities for them.

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With the Young Africa Works strategy in place, it seeks to enable access to dignified work opportunities for some three million young people by 2030 through enhanced efforts in the agricultural sector; and also exploring opportunities in emerging sectors, especially in the digital economy.

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The Foundation is optimistic that by doing this, and working alongside their partners – government, the private sector and young people – it will unlock the youthful potential to contribute in building back the economy and creating work opportunities for themselves and others.

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As part of the YEF, participants were taken through masterclass sessions on entrepreneurship, marketing and agribusiness among others, to receive knowledge on how to position themselves in the various sectors so as to fully take advantage of existing opportunities.

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