'Empower African women to empower the continent', says African Union Commission
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (PANA) - At the opening of "She Trades Global 2019", an event dedicated to celebrating the talent of women in the economy and trade, the Commissioner for Trade and Industry of the African Union Commission, Mr Albert Muchenga, has called on African countries to empower women to achieve national empowerment.
Speaking at the event, organized by the International Trade Centre (ITC), Mr Muchenga called on African leaders to increase women's incomes to enable them to meet the continent's challenges.
Women have the capacity to meet the challenges of the continent, they do so at all levels, from households to the political arena. Increasing women's income is a good investment since they are responsible for household and human affairs, he said.
"If you empower a woman, you empower a family, you empower a nation and so does the continent," he said.
Speaking of the African Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), Mr Muchenga said that several provisions of the agreement rightly gave a high priority to women. We need to invest more in women. We must take advantage of what women could offer, guarantee the equality of texts in the implementation of the (AfCFTA) agreement, he insisted.
As ITC's flagship event on women and the economy, "SheTrades Global" is a unique opportunity to develop sustainable and innovative solutions for women's participation in trade.
Botswana's First Lady, opinion leaders, business associations and women business leaders from more than 50 countries are currently participating in this event, which aims to chart the next step in transforming the global agenda on women and trade.
Previous editions of "She Trades Global" have been held in the United Kingdom, Turkey, Brazil, Rwanda, Mexico and China, with representatives from more than 85 countries.
Innovative solutions to empower women in business are at the heart of "She Trades Global", say event organizers.
The 2019 edition focuses on the AfCFTA to focus on how to make the most of this free trade area.
The AfCFTA is the next step in the transformation of the African and in turn global agenda on women and trade. It offers new opportunities for women-owned businesses to enter regional markets, increase their competitiveness and communicate with investors.
"SheTrades Global" sets the tone for the celebration in 2020 of the 25th anniversary of the adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. Building on the WTO Buenos Aires Declaration on Trade and Women's Economic Empowerment, "SheTrades Global" will take the trade and gender agenda to the next level, it concludes.
-0- PANA IT/BEH/MTA/VAO 19Nov2019
