African govts urged to boost agric trade

The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) has called on African governments to scale up support for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and the agricultural sector by adopting targeted and sustainable trade facilitation measures.

This appeal was made by Melaku Desta, Acting Director of ECA’s Regional Integration and Trade Division, during the global launch of the 2025 United Nations Global Survey on Digital and Sustainable Trade Facilitation, held virtually yesterday.

Desta emphasized that SMEs and agriculture form the backbone of most African economies and require improved trade facilitation, particularly in light of the continent’s efforts to implement the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). He said targeted measures in these sectors are critical for achieving inclusive and sustainable economic integration.

According to the sixth edition of the UN Global Survey, Africa has made measurable progress in implementing trade facilitation initiatives, registering a 6.8 percentage point rise from 55.6% in 2023 to 62.4% in 2025.

The Southern and Eastern African regions led the way in implementation, reflecting strong regional efforts to digitize and streamline trade processes.

Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana, UN Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), who coordinated the survey, highlighted recent disruptions in the global trade environment.

She noted that “extensive tariff measures” and ongoing supply chain challenges have increased trade uncertainty and costs, emphasizing the urgent need for efficient, transparent, and resilient trade systems.

The survey showed that developed economies continue to lead in trade facilitation implementation with an 86% rate, followed by South-East and East Asia at 81%. The Pacific region reported the lowest implementation rate at 45%.
Significant improvements were seen in areas such as cross-border paperless trade, legal frameworks for electronic transactions, and digital authentication, pointing to a global shift toward digital trade systems.

AfCFTA, along with its newly adopted protocol on digital trade, is expected to play a key role in fostering inclusive and sustainable trade across the continent once fully ratified.

The 2025 survey also introduced new indicators focused on cross-border e-commerce and green trade facilitation, reflecting the increasing global emphasis on aligning trade practices with environmental sustainability amid rising climate-related concerns.