13 July 2004

ACGD Launches Phase II of the Operationalization of ECAs Enterprise Development Facilities for Women Entrepreneurs

ECA’s Deputy Executive Secretary, Ms. Lalla Ben Barka opened on Tuesday 13 July a two-day workshop organized by the African Center for Gender and Development on the operationalization of “Enterprise Development Facilities for Women Entrepreneurs” (EDF). Were also present at the opening many Directors and Senior Officers from other Divisions.

The Enterprise Development Facilities (EDF) is a technology- driven initiative aiming to address the constraints faced by African women in informal and formal small businesses, and give them access to information training and business opportunities. The Project was jointly launched in 1998 by the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), as a follow-up to the recommendations adopted by the Africa-Asia Forum on the Economic Empowerment of Women, held in Bangkok, Thailand, in July 1997.

Entrusted with the responsibility of coordinating this initiative, ACGD has endeavoured to accelerate the establishment of two Enterprise Development Facilities (EDF) in Lome (Togo) and Kampala (Uganda); chosen as the best locations because they both fulfilled the criteria agreed upon to host the EDFS.

Between 2001 and 2003, ECA implemented the Phase one of the operationalization of the EDFs in collaboration with various partners such as the Commonwealth Secretariat, Union Economique et Monétaire Ouest Africaine (UEMOA), Agence Intergouvernementale de la Francophonie, Chambers of Commerce and Industries of Togo, and the Governments of Togo and Uganda.

The two EDFs have today a membership of 50 African entrepreneurs engaged in textiles and food processing, in addition to institutions like the Chambers of Commerce and other organizations working in the area of enterprise development.

Organizing this workshop aims to achieve five major objectives, namely:

* To set up the new autonomous institutional framework;

* To adopt a short term Plan of Action for the new structure;

* To launch the EDF web site;

* To familiarize women entrepreneurs who are members of EDF with e-commerce through the web-site;

* To mobilize partners to support the implementation of the Action Plan.

Thirty participants are attending the workshop as representatives of women entrepreneurs associations who have been involved in the early stages of the project, partners who have been providing support and assistance, and delegates of the two host countries.

During this workshop, participants will also discuss legal and institutional modalities for the transformation of the EDFs either into NGOs or entities that will be run autonomously.

Related Links: http://www.edf-rifed.com