ITC and IPEME launch SheTrades Mozambique Hub, marking ninth in Africa
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Press release
Mozambique
28 OCTOBER 2026
(Maputo) – Mozambique’s Institute for the Promotion of Small and Medium Enterprises (IPEME) was today announced as the host of the SheTrades Mozambique Hub, in partnership with the International Trade Centre (ITC) and supported by the Government of the United Kingdom.
The SheTrades Hub will equip Mozambican women entrepreneurs with the knowledge and tools to strengthen their export competitiveness and open doors to buyers, finance and investment, as well as partners in the public and private sectors.
With the launch, IPEME joins a global network of 22 SheTrades Hubs across Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, the Middle East and North Africa, promoting South-South trade and knowledge sharing within the Hub community.
As the Hub’s host institution, IPEME will learn from other Hubs in southern Africa to design and deliver services for their members, grow membership and raise funds. ITC, together with the British High Commission in Mozambique, will provide advisory services to IPEME staff to ensure sustainability of the Hub.
IPEME General Director Felix Malate and ITC SheTrades Initiative Head Judith Fessehaie signed a partnership agreement to formally launch the Hub, witnessed by H.E. António Grispos, Secretary of State for Trade, Mozambique, and the British High Commissioner to Mozambique H.E. Helen Lewis, alongside government representatives, women entrepreneurs, buyers, financial institutions, business support organizations and private-sector partners.
IPEME General Director Felix Malate said: ‘Through the SheTrades Mozambique Hub, IPEME promotes the economic empowerment of women entrepreneurs, small businesses and cooperatives, strengthening their capacities, access to investment and integration into national, regional and global markets, with a particular focus on the agri-food sector.’
Judith Fessehaie said: ‘We are delighted about the launch of this Hub, which builds on our work in Mozambique since 2023. As the fourth SheTrades Hub in southern Africa, Mozambique stands to benefit from regional trade within continent and beyond. We look forward to working with IPEME to position Mozambican women to trade more and on better terms.’
This work comes under the ITC Making Trade Happen project, funded by the United Kingdom, reflecting the country’s commitment to empowering women entrepreneurs, expanding trade opportunities, and building strong local institutions that can drive inclusive and sustainable economic growth in Mozambique.
Building on the project’s activities, the Hub will support women-led businesses in Mozambique to connect with buyers in the United Kingdom and globally. The launch of the Hub follows trade missions organized by ITC that have resulted in nearly $8 million in estimated annual business leads.
British High Commissioner H.E. Helen Lewis said: ‘Women-led businesses are a powerful driver of economic growth, innovation and job creation in Mozambique. The SheTrades Hub builds on the United Kingdom’s longstanding support for women entrepreneurs and will help create a more sustainable ecosystem where businesses can connect to new markets, investment and opportunities. As members of the Commonwealth family, we believe that stronger trade links and partnerships are key to delivering shared prosperity.’
The launch comes at the start a series of Make Trade Happen activities in Mozambique, all aiming to strengthen women-led businesses’ capacity to export.
The SheTrades Hub will equip Mozambican women entrepreneurs with the knowledge and tools to strengthen their export competitiveness and open doors to buyers, finance and investment, as well as partners in the public and private sectors.
With the launch, IPEME joins a global network of 22 SheTrades Hubs across Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, the Middle East and North Africa, promoting South-South trade and knowledge sharing within the Hub community.
As the Hub’s host institution, IPEME will learn from other Hubs in southern Africa to design and deliver services for their members, grow membership and raise funds. ITC, together with the British High Commission in Mozambique, will provide advisory services to IPEME staff to ensure sustainability of the Hub.
IPEME General Director Felix Malate and ITC SheTrades Initiative Head Judith Fessehaie signed a partnership agreement to formally launch the Hub, witnessed by H.E. António Grispos, Secretary of State for Trade, Mozambique, and the British High Commissioner to Mozambique H.E. Helen Lewis, alongside government representatives, women entrepreneurs, buyers, financial institutions, business support organizations and private-sector partners.
IPEME General Director Felix Malate said: ‘Through the SheTrades Mozambique Hub, IPEME promotes the economic empowerment of women entrepreneurs, small businesses and cooperatives, strengthening their capacities, access to investment and integration into national, regional and global markets, with a particular focus on the agri-food sector.’
Judith Fessehaie said: ‘We are delighted about the launch of this Hub, which builds on our work in Mozambique since 2023. As the fourth SheTrades Hub in southern Africa, Mozambique stands to benefit from regional trade within continent and beyond. We look forward to working with IPEME to position Mozambican women to trade more and on better terms.’
This work comes under the ITC Making Trade Happen project, funded by the United Kingdom, reflecting the country’s commitment to empowering women entrepreneurs, expanding trade opportunities, and building strong local institutions that can drive inclusive and sustainable economic growth in Mozambique.
Building on the project’s activities, the Hub will support women-led businesses in Mozambique to connect with buyers in the United Kingdom and globally. The launch of the Hub follows trade missions organized by ITC that have resulted in nearly $8 million in estimated annual business leads.
British High Commissioner H.E. Helen Lewis said: ‘Women-led businesses are a powerful driver of economic growth, innovation and job creation in Mozambique. The SheTrades Hub builds on the United Kingdom’s longstanding support for women entrepreneurs and will help create a more sustainable ecosystem where businesses can connect to new markets, investment and opportunities. As members of the Commonwealth family, we believe that stronger trade links and partnerships are key to delivering shared prosperity.’
The launch comes at the start a series of Make Trade Happen activities in Mozambique, all aiming to strengthen women-led businesses’ capacity to export.
Notes for the editor
About IPEME – IPEME is the public institution dedicated to promoting, developing and strengthening micro, small and medium-sized enterprises in Mozambique. It supports entrepreneurship and competitiveness through business development services, partnerships and programmes designed to strengthen the national MSME ecosystem.
About the ITC SheTrades Initiative – The International Trade Centre’s SheTrades Initiative works with governments, the private sector and business support organizations to remove barriers to women’s participation in trade. SheTrades Hubs are locally hosted platforms that deliver in-country support, strengthen local ownership and connect women-led businesses to knowledge, networks and market opportunities.
About Making Trade Happen – The Making Trade Happen (MTH) project, funded by the UK government, builds on the achievements of the UK Trade Partnerships (UKTP) and SheTrades Commonwealth+ (STC+) programmes to strengthen the long-term capacity of trade institutions and SMEs. By embedding technical expertise within national trade support organizations, facilitating commercial partnerships, and helping exporters navigate evolving market requirements, MTH project aims to transform preferential market access into tangible trade opportunities, institutional resilience and lasting sustainable economic growth.
About the International Trade Centre – The International Trade Centre is the joint agency of the World Trade Organization and the United Nations. ITC assists small and medium-sized enterprises in developing and transition economies to become more competitive in global markets, thereby contributing to sustainable economic development within the frameworks of the Aid-for-Trade agenda and the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.
For more information, visit www.intracen.org.
Follow ITC on Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram | Flickr
About the ITC SheTrades Initiative – The International Trade Centre’s SheTrades Initiative works with governments, the private sector and business support organizations to remove barriers to women’s participation in trade. SheTrades Hubs are locally hosted platforms that deliver in-country support, strengthen local ownership and connect women-led businesses to knowledge, networks and market opportunities.
About Making Trade Happen – The Making Trade Happen (MTH) project, funded by the UK government, builds on the achievements of the UK Trade Partnerships (UKTP) and SheTrades Commonwealth+ (STC+) programmes to strengthen the long-term capacity of trade institutions and SMEs. By embedding technical expertise within national trade support organizations, facilitating commercial partnerships, and helping exporters navigate evolving market requirements, MTH project aims to transform preferential market access into tangible trade opportunities, institutional resilience and lasting sustainable economic growth.
About the International Trade Centre – The International Trade Centre is the joint agency of the World Trade Organization and the United Nations. ITC assists small and medium-sized enterprises in developing and transition economies to become more competitive in global markets, thereby contributing to sustainable economic development within the frameworks of the Aid-for-Trade agenda and the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.
For more information, visit www.intracen.org.
Follow ITC on Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram | Flickr