The International Trade Centre (ITC) and DHL have renewed their partnership to help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), particularly women-led businesses, overcome barriers to international trade and expand into global markets.
The organisations formalised the renewed collaboration through a memorandum of understanding, bringing together ITC’s expertise in market intelligence, SME development and inclusive trade with DHL’s global logistics network and technical capabilities.
SMEs account for around 90% of businesses worldwide, provide approximately 70% of employment and contribute about 70% of global GDP. Yet many continue to face challenges accessing international markets, including gaps in logistics, digital capabilities, trade knowledge and supply-chain support.
The renewed partnership will focus on helping small businesses navigate cross-border trade, including exports, supply chains and logistics. ITC and DHL will also work with business support organisations and ITC SheTrades Hubs to strengthen the services available to SMEs and women entrepreneurs.
The two organisations will further advocate for small businesses and women-led enterprises in global trade discussions, high-level events and engagements with governments and private-sector organisations.
ITC Executive Director Pamela Coke-Hamilton said the partnership would help address one of the practical challenges faced by businesses seeking to expand internationally.
“For small businesses, the main challenge is not in creating quality products for customers, but getting it to them,” she said, highlighting the importance of addressing last-mile logistics barriers and ensuring that small businesses have a voice in trade policy discussions.
Hennie Heymans, CEO of DHL Express Sub-Saharan Africa, said SMEs remain central to economic activity globally but continue to account for a disproportionately small share of international trade.
He pointed to access to knowledge, finance, digital capabilities and logistics support as some of the areas where businesses require additional assistance, noting that partnerships across the trade ecosystem can help SMEs reach new customers and expand with greater confidence.
The renewed agreement builds on nearly a decade of collaboration between ITC and DHL. Since 2016, the organisations have worked through initiatives including DHL GoTrade, ITC SheTrades and ITC ecomConnect to support businesses across Africa, ASEAN, Latin America and the Caribbean.
Through DHL GoTrade, projects launched since 2021 have reached more than 26,000 SMEs and 8,000 women-owned businesses in over 60 countries, providing training in logistics, e-commerce and international trade.
The partnership with ITC SheTrades, which began in 2018, has provided technical assistance, logistics expertise and shipping solutions to more than 4,000 women-led businesses across 60 countries. More recently, the programme has worked through SheTrades Hubs in countries including Kenya, South Africa, Mauritius and Trinidad and Tobago to connect women entrepreneurs with local DHL offices, expertise and business opportunities.
Through ITC ecomConnect, more than 400 SMEs received DHL support between 2020 and 2024, including preferential shipping arrangements that reduced costs by as much as 60% in selected markets.
The partnership has also extended beyond direct business support into policy advocacy and global trade dialogue. In July 2025, DHL participated as a private-sector champion at ITC’s inaugural Global SME Ministerial Meeting in Johannesburg, South Africa.
With the renewed agreement, ITC and DHL aim to build on these initiatives by strengthening the networks, knowledge and logistics support available to smaller businesses seeking to participate more actively in international trade.
