International Development Grant
Programme for Building African Capacity for Trade (PACT II)
Project Number: CA-3-A033540001
Status: Closed
Country/Region: Unknown
Regional Focus:
Maximum Contribution: $19,800,000.00
Start Date: June 12, 2008
End Date: August 31, 2016
Duration: 8.2 years
Project Description
This project aims to improve cooperation and coherence across three African Regional Economic Communities (RECs): ECOWAS-Economic Community of West African States ECCAS-Economic Community of Central African States and COMESA-Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa. The project focuses on regional trade development by enhancing the capacity of and certifying 100 African trainers in a range of trade development tools; training REC staff on the assessment of export potential; developing 15 regionally-based trade support networks; and engaging 150 trade support organizations in a trade information network. The project also trains and provides advisory services to 900 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in 15 countries and is designed to ultimately increase the export sales of the participating SMEs by 20%. Also ACCESS! an important project component raises the export readiness of women entrepreneurs-exporters in a selected number of countries.
Progress & Results Achieved
Results achieved as of March 2012 include: COMESA (Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa) – The COMESA Business Council (CBC) is playing a leading role in regional trade development and policy dialogue with the private sector; the African Union Commission has decided to establish the Africa Business Council (ABC) using CBC as a model. ECCAS (Economic Community of Central African States) – 16 trade information experts from four Central African countries (Cameroon Congo Democratic Republic of Congo and Gabon) received training in developing market profiles and managing the ECCAS regional trade information platform; ECCAS published its second Trade Statistics Yearbook and its first Report on intra-regional trade which were distributed at the 2012 ECCAS Heads of States and Government Summit. Overall ECCAS is taking the lead for sustainable regional trade development and promotion as a trusted and visible broker. ECOWAS (Economic Community of Western African States): Sector export studies were produced for five value chains (cashews and shell nuts paddy rice palm oil mangoes and sesame seeds); 11 experts from eight countries received training in trade information analysis for value chains that support private sector enterprises. These results contributed to strengthening regional trade support networks. More than 300 women in ECCAS COMESA and ECOWAS countries received training in export development and international standards. They are using their increased knowledge to expand their export sales in priority sectors and markets.
Key Information
Executing Agency:
ITC - International Trade Centre
Reporting Organization:
Global Affairs Canada
Program:
WGM Africa
Last Modified:
September 19, 2025
Development Classifications
DAC Sector:
Aid Type: Contributions to specific-purpose programmes and funds managed by implementing partners
Collaboration: Bilateral
Finance Type: Aid grant excluding debt reorganisation
Selection Mechanism:
Pre-APP