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AWIEF Conference holds in Cape Town

By Cleopatra Eki
03 October 2017   |   4:07 am
The African Women Innovation and Entrepreneurship Conference (AWIEF) is to hold its third annual conference at the Century City Conference Centre, Cape Town, South Africa between Ocrober 5 and October 6, 2017.

AWIEF Founder and Director, Irene Ochem

The African Women Innovation and Entrepreneurship Conference (AWIEF) is to hold its third annual conference at the Century City Conference Centre, Cape Town, South Africa between Ocrober 5 and October 6, 2017.

The conference with the theme: Equity, Impact, Inclusive Growth Towards Agenda 2030 and Sustainable African Future, promises to engender fundamental changes in Africa’s socio-economic landscape.

AWIEF is focused on the economic empowerment of women, who have been side-lined and disregarded in in male dominated societies. AWIEF Founder and Director, Irene Ochem, said: “It is naive to think that we can transform Africa leaving the women behind. You cannot ignore over 50 per cent of the continent’s population and hope to harness and exploit its full potential.

“It is, therefore, imperative that we overturn traditional mindsets and customs to promote inclusivity in business and industry, as well as exploit the immense untapped resources offered by women. We need to turn women from being job-seekers into job creators, entrepreneurs and businesswomen.”

The AWIEF conference will bring together the entire entrepreneurship ecosystem, including business experts, stakeholders and policy makers. Rwandan Minister of Gender and Family Promotion, Esperance Nyirasafari; Malawi’s Minister of Gender, Children, Disability and Social Welfare, Jean A. N. Kalilani; Zimbabwe’s Minister of Women Affairs, Gender and Community Development, Nyasha Chikwinya; South Africa’s Deputy Minister, Department of Tourism, Elizabeth Thabethe and Executive Mayor of Cape Town, Patricia De Lille, among many others, will attand the conference.

The Awards will feature Norwegian Ambassador to South Africa, Trine Skymoen as Keynote Speaker, popular TV and Radio Personality, Shado Twala as Master of Ceremonies, while Loyiso Bala will provide entertainment.

AWIEF 2017 is co-sponsored and supported by the African Development Bank (AfDB), Shell South Africa, City of Cape Town, Old Mutual, South African Tourism, Industrial Development Corporation (IDC), WESGRO, Mbekani Group, Shimansky, Ethiopian Airlines, Embassy of Sweden in Pretoria, Mazars, among others.

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