SWITZERLAND | The International Trade Centre (ITC) and DHL signed a memorandum of understanding to deepen their long-standing collaboration supporting SMEs, particularly women-led businesses, to trade across borders.
The agreement has combined ITC’s expertise in market intelligence, SME development and inclusive trade with DHL’s global logistics network and technical expertise.
SMEs account for around 90 percent of businesses globally, provide roughly 70 percent of employment and contribute 70 percent of global GDP, making them play a critical role in driving growth and job creation, yet many continue to face barriers to participating fully in international trade.
This partnership aims to strengthen the support ecosystem that helps businesses overcome those barriers and access new opportunities.
Hennie Heymans, CEO of DHL Express Sub-Saharan Africa, said SMEs are the backbone of economies worldwide, yet their participation in international trade remains disproportionately low.
“The challenge is rarely a lack of ambition. More often, businesses need access to knowledge, finance, digital capabilities and logistics support,” said Heymans.
“That is why partnerships like this matter. By bringing together the right partners, we can build the ecosystems that help businesses grow with confidence, reach new customers and unlock the opportunities that international trade creates.’
Under the agreement, ITC and DHL will:
- Support small businesses with cross-border trade, covering exports, supply chains and logistics;
- Work with business support organisations and ITC SheTrades Hubs to improve their services for small and women-led businesses;
- Advocate for small businesses and women entrepreneurs in global discussions and at high-level events, as well as among private sector organisations and government agencies.
Over the past decade, ITC and DHL have worked together through DHL GoTrade, ITC SheTrades, and the ITC ecomConnect programme, reaching small businesses across more than 60 countries across Africa, ASEAN, Latin America and the Caribbean.
The partnership has combined training with tailored support, including shipping assistance for SMEs and women-led businesses, and has extended to advocacy and high-level dialogue that amplifies the voice of small businesses in global trade discussions.
In July 2025, DHL took part as a private-sector champion at ITC’s inaugural Global SME Ministerial Meeting in Johannesburg, South Africa.
ITC Executive Director Pamela Coke-Hamilton added that the main challenge for SMEs is not creating quality products for customers, but getting them to customers.
Hence, ITC has deepened its work with DHL to help more small women-led businesses overcome last-mile logistics barriers, reach new markets, and ensure their perspectives are heard at decision-making tables.
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