The Common Market for Eastern and Southern African-COMESA has implemented trainings for the US$ 12 million networking project termed 50 Million African Women Speak -50MAWS aimed at supporting women in business to access financial services and create business opportunities online.s
Speaking during the official opening of the project at Mika Hotel in Lusaka on 25th Match 2019 attended by the Zambian Business Times-ZBT, COMESA assistant secretary general Dr Dev Haman has described the project as a game changer in the drive to economically empower women entrepreneurs across the African continent.
Dr Haman disclosed that the digital platform is targeted to train 50 million women in the 38 African countries to use the information communication technology-ICT in addressing challenges that women entrepreneurs face in accessing financial and non-financial services which limits the size and growth of their business.
“You will agree with me that we are already experiencing the profound change and efficiency that modern technologies bring to the way we live, work, interact, and do business. Thus, the need to pull in one direction and share knowledge amongst ourselves cannot be overemphasized”, he said
And East African Community Secretariat-EAC principal gender and community development officer Generose Minani has commended COMESA for the opportunity given to women in business towards the operationalization of the digital platform.
Generose said the EAC and Economic Community for West African States-ECOWAS will work closely with COMESA on the content development to ensure that the platform can provide content that can benefit women in business adding that a lot must be done in terms of awareness, capacity building and advocacy.
In a separate interview, COMESA director of gender and social affairs Beatrice Simwapenga told ZBT that the digital platform to be achieved is a major milestone which has potential to transform the role of women entrepreneurs in Africa.
“Let us visualize the benefits and communicate the vision as we interact and engage with women in business, youths, government bodies, women’s organizations, civil society organizations, finance institutions and internet providers”, she said.
