COMFWB Celebrates the Successful Launch of the COMESA Tunisia Business Women Days International Conference
The COMESA Federation of National Associations of Women in Business (COMFWB) continues to execute its mandate to promote programmes that integrate women into trade and development activities as evidenced through the launch of the COMESA Tunisia Business Women Days International Conference in Tunis, Tunisia on 29th September 2022. The two-day event took place at the Movenpick - Lac Hotel and was hosted by the COMFWB Tunisia Chapter, Chambre Nationale des Femmes Chefs d'Entreprises (CNFCE). The Conference was conducted with support from the Tunisia Ministry of Trade and Export Development, COMESA,COMFWB and the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ).
Dignitaries at the event included the Minister of Trade and Export Development, Fadela Ben Hamza; the COMESA Assistant Secretary General, Ambassador Kipyego Cheluget; the German Ambassador to Tunisia Mr Peter Prügle and the Minister of Women, Family, Child and Elderly Affairs, Mrs Amal Belhaj Musa. The Vice Board Chairperson of COMFWB Ms Naila Abbas Thabit; the CEO of COMFWB, Her Excellency, Ruth Negash and the Tunisia Chapter Chairperson Mrs. Leila Balkheria Jaber were also present.
Opening the ceremony was Mrs Leila Balkheria Jaber who shared that the Tunisia Chapter was celebrating its third year of activities, experience and pioneering in the business world. Ms Fadila El-Rabhi emphasized the important role that private sector organizations and professional gatherings play in accelerating the path of integration and economic integration among member states in COMESA. She emphasized that all parties should work to support economic actors active in the free market.
In his speech, the COMESA Assistant Secretary General, Ambassador Kipyego Cheluget stated that COMESA stands at the forefront of the signing, implementing and supporting of women's economic empowerment activities, including those which specifically aim to facilitate the participation of women in regional trade. “COMESA recognizes the importance of small-scale businesses, the majority of which are run by women and the youth. We recognize that these traders face a number of challenges including poor access to finance and women traders are affected the most”. He also talked about the various customs and trade facilitation instruments developed by COMESA and the specialized COMESA institutions set up expressly for the facilitation of trade.
The COMFWB Board Vice Chairperson Ms Naila Abbas Thabit talked about how COMFWB, with the support of COMESA and its partners, supports SMEs by providing them with better access to finance and information. The CEO of COMFWB, Her Excellency, Ruth Negash reiterated the vote of thanks to COMESA and COMFWB partners for their continued support of programmes aimed at supporting women entrepreneurs. She shared about the opportunities for Africa in the information and communications sector. ‘It is estimated that in the year 2050, 50%of the global workforce will be based in Africa. We must build our digital e-commerce skills to stay competitive globally’
The highlight of the launch was the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the COMESA Business Council and the Tunisian Union of Industry, Trade and Handicrafts (UTICA). The Conference brought together COMESA representatives, Tunisian political decision-makers, female business leaders from sub-Saharan Africa, as well as more than 100Tunisian women business leaders.
The COMESA Federation of National Associations of Women in Business (COMFWB) continues to execute its mandate to promote programmes that integrate women into trade and development activities as evidenced through the launch of the COMESA Tunisia Business Women Days International Conference in Tunis, Tunisia on 29th September 2022. The two-day event took place at the Movenpick - Lac Hotel and was hosted by the COMFWB Tunisia Chapter, Chambre Nationale des Femmes Chefs d'Entreprises (CNFCE). The Conference was conducted with support from the Tunisia Ministry of Trade and Export Development, COMESA,COMFWB and the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ).
Dignitaries at the event included the Minister of Trade and Export Development, Fadela Ben Hamza; the COMESA Assistant Secretary General, Ambassador Kipyego Cheluget; the German Ambassador to Tunisia Mr Peter Prügle and the Minister of Women, Family, Child and Elderly Affairs, Mrs Amal Belhaj Musa. The Vice Board Chairperson of COMFWB Ms Naila Abbas Thabit; the CEO of COMFWB, Her Excellency, Ruth Negash and the Tunisia Chapter Chairperson Mrs. Leila Balkheria Jaber were also present.
Opening the ceremony was Mrs Leila Balkheria Jaber who shared that the Tunisia Chapter was celebrating its third year of activities, experience and pioneering in the business world. Ms Fadila El-Rabhi emphasized the important role that private sector organizations and professional gatherings play in accelerating the path of integration and economic integration among member states in COMESA. She emphasized that all parties should work to support economic actors active in the free market.
In his speech, the COMESA Assistant Secretary General, Ambassador Kipyego Cheluget stated that COMESA stands at the forefront of the signing, implementing and supporting of women's economic empowerment activities, including those which specifically aim to facilitate the participation of women in regional trade. “COMESA recognizes the importance of small-scale businesses, the majority of which are run by women and the youth. We recognize that these traders face a number of challenges including poor access to finance and women traders are affected the most”. He also talked about the various customs and trade facilitation instruments developed by COMESA and the specialized COMESA institutions set up expressly for the facilitation of trade.
The COMFWB Board Vice Chairperson Ms Naila Abbas Thabit talked about how COMFWB, with the support of COMESA and its partners, supports SMEs by providing them with better access to finance and information. The CEO of COMFWB, Her Excellency, Ruth Negash reiterated the vote of thanks to COMESA and COMFWB partners for their continued support of programmes aimed at supporting women entrepreneurs. She shared about the opportunities for Africa in the information and communications sector. ‘It is estimated that in the year 2050, 50%of the global workforce will be based in Africa. We must build our digital e-commerce skills to stay competitive globally’
The highlight of the launch was the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the COMESA Business Council and the Tunisian Union of Industry, Trade and Handicrafts (UTICA). The Conference brought together COMESA representatives, Tunisian political decision-makers, female business leaders from sub-Saharan Africa, as well as more than 100Tunisian women business leaders.
