Professor Emerita Abena Busia, former Ghanaian Ambassador to Brazil and scholar of African literature, has emphasized the critical need to recognise women’s agency and dignity in African trade while highlighting the contextual importance of the Protocol on Women and Youth in Trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Speaking at the 2026 Africa Prosperity Dialogues (APD) on Wednesday 4th February 2026, during the panel session on “Building an Inclusive AfCFTA,” Prof Busia shared a personal anecdote from her early career that illustrated the resourcefulness and expertise of African women in trade.
She recounted a 1992 flight along the West African coast, where market women onboard actively traded goods and foreign currencies, seamlessly navigating multiple monetary systems during a short journey.
“These women certainly knew trade. They were not at the table where policies were made, but they understood the world those policies created,” she said.
Prof Busia noted that while the Protocol on Women and Youth in Trade is comprehensive and well-articulated, implementation remains a critical challenge.
“We are very good at protocols and resolutions, but how do we follow through? What is the infrastructure to carry it out?” she asked, stressing that the effectiveness of any trade instrument depends on practical action, not just well-written policies.
The scholar also addressed systemic inequalities in governance and legal frameworks, pointing out that women are often treated on par with youth in terms of agency, and highlighted examples such as citizenship laws that favor men over women. “We need to correct these structural inequities and ensure that women’s dignity is recognised as inviolable in all aspects of trade,” she said, drawing parallels with the German constitution’s post-World War II affirmation that “human dignity is inviolable.”
Prof Busia further urged policymakers to consider the broader ecosystem in which trade protocols operate, advocating for measures that empower women at every level of economic participation and preserve their dignity as they engage in cross-border commerce.
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