The AfCFTA Young Entrepreneurs Federation (AfYEF) has officially launched the maiden edition of the Trade Queen Africa (Miss Traq) project in Accra.

Miss Traq takes the form of a beauty pageant intended to empower young women and youth in Africa through entrepreneurship and financial freedom.

At the launch, President of AfYEF, Siita Sofo Hissan underscored the essence of the Trade Queen Africa project as bridging the gap between the myriad of factors and players within the African trade space.

Its distinguishing card is looking beyond physical beauty to mobilise and educate women and youth through entertainment and awareness creation about economic opportunities, as per the motto, “Beyond beauty, fostering trade”.

According to Mr Hissan, the project “evaluates participants based on their ability to enhance the economic well-being of women and collaborate with market women” in an attempt to address issues such as the lack of representation for women in economic decision-making processes when it comes to international trade.

Themed “Harnessing African Beauty for Women’s Empowerment, Trade and Investment”, Miss Traq is open to all African countries and the diaspora.

It seeks to provide a significant platform for discussing the economic hurdles confronting women and youth engaged in trade, aiming for a more inclusive and empowered future.

Also speaking at the launch was Chief Executive Officer of Trade Fair, Dr Agnes Adu, who pledged support for the project by a sponsorship deal and the will to exhibit its products to potential foreign stakeholders.