ECA spurs Africa’s transformation agenda through women, youth empowerment

To pivot Africa’s demographic dynamics for sustainable development following the projection that the continent would constitute a quarter of the world’s labour force by 2050 due to high fertility and declining child mortality rates, the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), has announced invitation to sector champions in various industries to be a part of its Regional Business Forum.

Structured around youths and women in the West African business ecosystems, the forum, which is in collaboration with strategic partners from across the region/continent, would encompass various activities such as panel discussions, exhibitions, mentoring sessions, presentations and others.

With the theme ‘Empowering Women and Youths to Spur Africa’s Transformation Agenda’, the three-day forum, which would be held physical and virtual, due to the COVID-19 pandemic from September 21-23, 2021, at The Intercontinental Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos, would also feature high-level meetings and consultations with business champions.

In her remark, Director of the Sub-Regional office for West Africa of ECA, Mrs. Ngone Diop said: “The event will bring together women and youths from across the 15 West African countries, business leaders, the private sector and SMEs.”

Our office will engage sector leaders across critical sectors of the economy within the West Africa Region, to translate ideas into actions around specific interventions that are designed to build capacities, and empower youths and women in the region.

“The process is aimed at developing a regional framework and an ecosystem, which is geared towards harnessing the opportunities of the African Continental Free Trade Areas (AfCFTA) as an anchor, to unlock the potentials of youths and women in Africa, as well as foster business championship to its maximum abilities for women and youths from across the region. This will stimulate regional engagements and strategic private sector partnerships to support experienced and non-experienced women and youth entrepreneurs.”

Diop further said: “In order to achieve the expected results, the forum will adopt a targeted yet broad approach, looking at strategies for post COVID-19 pandemic economic recovery, emerging development and investment opportunities in areas around the AfCFTA, key business sectors such as agri-business infrastructure development and the social sectors of health and education. It will also focus on the unique value addition to be garnered from West Africa and Africa’s rich resource endowments.”