The forum seeks to contribute to the promotion of women’s economic and entrepreneurship towards the achievement of the sustainable development goals.

The Organisation of African Women and the Diaspora (OFAD) has organized the fifth edition of the Economic and Women Entrepreneurship Forum. The two-day confab opened at the Yaounde Conference Center on Wednesday March 27, 2019 and was staged under the theme: “Women entrepreneurship and solidarity & social economy: Accelerators for the development of Africa.” It is the first time the annual forum is being hosted by an African country.

For two days, the participants, will through working sessions, share their experiences and holistic approach in women’s economic empowerment. They will learn how to use gender sensitive data, carryout gender sensitive planning and budgeting, amongst other, in a bid to achieving a 50/50 gender parity and the attainment of the sustainable development goals by 2030. They will also participate in workshops which will focus on financing, agriculture and development.

While opening the workshop, the representative of the Government of Cameroon, the Minister of Trade, Luc Magloire Mbarga Atangana warmly welcomed the participants to the forum which he described as exemplary. He said the forum falls in line with President Paul Biya’s vision of empowering women. “This forum has the potential of promoting dynamism amongst women, encourage decent work and take women out of poverty. It aims to promote the priorities of the State. I hope the outcome will benefit Cameroon and Africa and promote women entrepreneurship,” Minister Mbarga Atangana said.

To Suzanne Bellnoun, President of OFAD, the holding of the forum in Cameroon is to extend a hand of fellowship to Cameroonian and African women. “This will be an opportunity for women in the diaspora and the continent to work together to redynamise women entrepreneurship. This will also pull government’s attention to the fact that women are an economic force to reckon with when it comes to the diaspora,” she said.

It should be noted that OFAD entrepreneurship forum has been contributing to the promotion of women’s economic and entrepreneurship towards the realization of SDG5 relative to the promotion of gender equality. This year’s forum benefited from the support of UN Women, amongst other development partners.