Conference Overview

The event is organized by the Arab Union for Industrial Exports Development (AUIED) and the Moroccan Agency for Investment & Export Development (AMDIE) from 13 to 14 Feb. 2019 under the patronage of the League of Arab States (LAS) and supported by the Moroccan government, the Arab African Union for Businesswomen (AAUBW),International Federation for Business and Professional Women (BPW International),The Arab International Center for Entrepreneurship & Investment (AICEI),COMESA Business Council and African Alliance for Women Empowerment and coordinated with concerned Moroccan & Arab- African businesswomen organizations

The Conference presents the role of Arab & African women in enhancing industrial development and aims to support them in business establishment and export-oriented industries for small and medium enterprises.

The conference is themed on “Achieving the SDGs through Supporting Women Entrepreneurs” to raise awareness in women’s entrepreneurship and enable women to become more visible in every sector of the economy wherever they are. It is also aimed at giving women entrepreneurs the opportunity to create, discuss and gain modern ideas that can enable them not only to better prepare business development strategies, but also show them how to forge mutually beneficial partnerships with other entrepreneurs in general and with women entrepreneurs in Morocco and Arab-African countries in particular. The conference will bring together: Women Entrepreneurs and Organizations, Businesses, Investors, Governments, Institutions, Universities, NGOs amongst other stakeholders.

Due to the lack of women’s participation in economic development in Arab and African countries, the conference will stress the need to change legislation to empower women’s role by creating partnerships between government and non-government organizations to set strategies and establish mechanisms to reach women from various walks of life.

The Conference highlights policies that empower women by providing technical support, training and banking services such as flexible loans, government support of emerging sectors in the labor market and protection of women from exploitation.

The Conference also sheds light on economic empowerment efforts to improve Arab & African women’s ability to access business experts, capacity building and on the job training centers in the industrial sector. Additionally, the conference addresses the prospects for cooperation between Arab and African businesswomen through partnerships and collaboration. The conference will also share successful experiences of Arab and African countries in the field of women’s economic empowerment.