By Inside Biz
Business Eswatini, along with her partners, COMESA Business Council (CBC) and the International Trade Centre (ITC) will be hosting a three-day training workshop that is aimed at capacitating businesses with skills relating to market research and the identification of new opportunities using the Africa Trade Observatory (ATO) intelligence dashboard.
The training was initially targeted at businesses that are currently exporting and those that are ready to export, which is a cohort of medium and big business according to the local MSME policy.
However, due to the pressing need to include more emaSwati youth and SMEs occupying a visible and impactful role in the economy, Business Eswatini (BE) has extended the training workshop to the Youth Chamber of Eswatini, selected SMEs in various industries, and women-led businesses.
This is aimed at exposing the local and small business sector to have an outward-looking perspective in order to tap into opportunities available outside of the country.
As the AfCFTA gains momentum, local small and infant industries need to establish and sustain strong export competitiveness across the African continent.
The training of Eswatini youth and small businesses will ensure that the rampant unemployment rate which compromises the business sector’s attempts to add more value to our communities is reduced.
The efforts towards economic empowerment of vulnerable and exposed groupings of society need to be sped up, hence Business Eswatini’s endeavor to play her part in this regard.
As potential exporters, participants from smaller businesses will gain market insights on which markets to explore and the products they could potentially venture into.
Current exporters from medium enterprises will obtain market insights on the diversification possibilities of both their markets and products within the African region and beyond.
During the training, participants will review the fundamentals of market analysis and put their skills into practice by identifying and comparing opportunities across various sectors.
Participants will be able to evaluate the attractiveness of export opportunities across markets and learn how to turn this information into a data-driven market entry strategy.
Topics that will be discussed during the training will include trade statistics for tracking import demand and growth, export potential forecasts for the coming 4 years, applied tariffs and relevant rules of origin, regulatory requirements, domestic tax information, and private sustainability standards for reaching market niche.
The training will be held at Royal Villas, Ezulwini from Wednesday, the 3rd to Friday, the 5th of May 2023. BE is grateful to her partners, the COMESA Business Council, and the International Trade Centre for the financial and technical support they have injected into this initiative.
“We also hope that the participants will leverage this resourceful workshop to add value to their businesses with the hope that we can advance the country’s economic development agenda in achieving its export potential, creating wealth and jobs,” notes BE.