Denmark and TradeMark Africa (TMA) have signed a new five-year partnership worth DKK 200 million ($30 million) to strengthen sustainable, efficient and inclusive trade across the African continent. The agreement launches the Sustainable Inclusive Trade in Africa (SITA) programme, which will seek to advance the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), unlocking its huge potential for job creation and poverty reduction. SITA will also deliver interventions along the Northern Corridor in East Africa to ensure more effective border-crossings and support informal women and youth border traders to gain market access and grow their income. Finally, SITA will support a transition from the use of air freight for export of vegetables from East Africa to the use of sea freight. This will benefit both the climate and trade in East Africa.
SITA represents a concrete contribution to the EU Global Gateway, where Denmark alongside the EU and EU Member States offers tangible investments in one of the most important trade corridors in Africa. The programme is one of Denmark’s flagship investments under its strategy for strengthened engagement with African counties, Africa’s Century, which emphasises sustainable economic growth, trade and mutually beneficial partnerships.
TMA Board Chair and former Ethiopian Prime Minister, H.E. Hailemariam Desalegn Boshe, welcomed the partnership, describing it as “a reaffirmation of a trusted and strategic partnership and an investment in the future through infrastructure, systems and policy actions that will create an enabling environment for improved trade. He noted that SITA would “advance AfCFTA domestication, align with initiatives such as the EU Global Gateway and embed long-term reforms within national and regional legal frameworks.”
The Danish Ambassador to Kenya Stephan Schønemann, said the programme reflects a shift towards deeper, more ambitious partnerships with African countries.
“Trade only unlocks its full potential when trade agreements are realised in practice, when borders work, when potentials for greener transport are utilised, and when women and youth can participate in markets on equal terms. With SITA, we are investing in practical solutions. Cutting down on waiting times at the border crossings and supporting greener export routes will lower the costs and increase the benefits of trading. Africa’s economic transformation is already underway, and we are proud to partner with TMA to help accelerate it.”
Denmark and TMA have worked together since 2010 to reduce the time and cost of trade and strengthen economic integration. Previous collaboration has contributed to lower border-crossing times, improved digital systems, and strengthened standards that benefit small and medium-sized enterprises. The new agreement builds on this record while responding to Africa’s evolving needs: greener value chains, stronger regional integration, and more inclusive economic growth.
Working alongside other development partners, Denmark has also contributed to customs modernisation, trade automation, harmonised standards, regulatory reforms and capacity-building programmes for women traders, strengthening the foundations for more predictable and inclusive regional commerce.
