Dakar — The first session of the course on Trade, Gender and Development took place in Dakar, Senegal from 31 October to 4 November 2016.

The course was developed jointly by the African Trade Policy Centre (ATPC) and the African Institute for Economic Development and Planning (IDEP) of the Economic Commission for Africa.

Aimed at middle and senior level officials in trade ministries across the continent, the course provides insights on the complex linkages between trade, gender and development and an overview of the policy responses to overcome gender imbalances in trade outcomes.

Over the course of the week, participants also carried out various exercises to practice applying the learned concepts in policy dialogue and in the context of their own work.

A key objective of the course was to sensitize professionals working on trade on gender issues and thus contribute to better mainstreaming of gender into trade policy across the continent.

For many participants, the course was the first opportunity to engage with gender questions in an in-depth way and it came at a crucial moment since negotiations for the Continental Free Trade Area (CFTA) are currently underway.

A total of 25 officials from 15 Anglophone African countries completed the course.

During the closing ceremony, participants were encouraged to act as ambassadors for gender awareness and equality in their countries and build on the skills acquired during the week.

They were also encouraged to take advantage of their new network and continue the exchange of information and experiences after the training programme.

The next session of the course is planned for 2017 and will target Francophone African countries.