In her address, the Minister of Gender Equality, Child Development and Family Welfare, Mrs. Sheilabai Bappoo, GOSK, said that Mauritius has taken bold and decisive steps to create a friendly business environment and more women entrepreneurs are starting and building enterprises.  ‘However, we are very keen to share notes and learn more through exchange programmes and through the sharing of experience.  It would be interesting in particular to reflect on how best to mainstream gender consideration in trade and growth strategies’, she stated.

The Minister also gave an overview of the functions of the National Women Entrepreneur Council which falls under her Ministry.  She enumerated the innovative solutions developed for both existing and aspiring women entrepreneurs, such as skills development programme, capacity-building, assistance to market and sell products, cost-sharing consultancy in collaboration with the Mauritius Business Growth Scheme, business counseling and advice, business incubators to stimulate growth of new enterprises and organisation of meetings between large enterprises and the SMEs as well as the women entrepreneurship development programme.

For her part, the World President, Mrs. Françoise Foning, from Cameroon, gave a brief presentation of the World Association of Women Entrepreneurs and its objectives.  ‘The presence of participating countries in Mauritius is dictated by the will to partake in the growth of women entrepreneurship.  More than anything else, women entrepreneurs know how important their roles are’, she stressed.  The World President also congratulated Mauritian women entrepreneurs for their talent, competencies, solidarity and efficiency.

The World Association of Women Entrepreneurs was founded in France in 1945 at the end of World War II by Yvonne Foinant.  The Association quickly spread into other European countries and around the globe.  It brings together in solidarity and friendship women who share a common interest that of entrepreneurship.  Presently, the Association’s network includes over 70 countries from the five continents.

World Committees of the World Association of Women Entrepreneurs are held twice a year and are organised and hosted by a national association member country of the World Association of Women Entrepreneurs.