The African Development Bank (AfDB) launched a project to map 160 women entrepreneurs' associations across 16 African countries. Supported by the Bank's Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa (AFAWA) initiative and the Gender Equality Trust Fund (GETF), the project aims to enhance these associations' visibility, institutional capacity, and access to financing. Beth Dunford, AfDB's Vice-President for Agriculture, Human and Social Development, inaugurated the project in Abidjan, with numerous associations and around 200 virtual attendees participating. Dunford emphasised the Bank's commitment to inclusivity and transparency, as detailed in the Action Plan for Engaging with Civil Society 2024-2028. Moreover, Zeneb Touré, head of the Bank's Civil Society and Community Engagement Division, highlighted the associations' role as catalysts for reforms and innovations supporting female entrepreneurship. On the other hand, Dagou Yvonne Nivine Gadji of the SEPHIS Foundation and Jacqueline Tientcheu, President of the Federation of Women Entrepreneurs Organisations in Central Africa, stressed the need for accessible financing for women entrepreneurs. They expressed hope that AFAWA and GETF could help address these challenges and promote women's economic empowerment across Africa. Attribution: AfDB.
