The 57th Congress of FCEM-the World Association of Women Entrepreneurs was held in Yaoundé, Cameroon, from 23 to 30 October 2009, under the theme "World’s Women Entrepreneurs facing the international financial crisis”, this Congress raises important issues especially in the context of time characterized by a financial crisis that is shaking the global economy significantly.
These challenges and opportunities of this conference are mainly based on:
- The capacity and reach of the association of women entrepreneurs’ worldwide
- The Strengthening partnership ties between women entrepreneurs
- The incentive to business creation by young women
- Promoting solidarity, friendship and mutual understanding
- The fight against poverty and misery in the world.
The 57th congress FCEM witnessed the participation of more than 40 countries FCEM more than 300 members and a large number of diplomats and eminent personalities attended the Flags’ ceremony at the opening of the 57th congress.
A delegation of 6 Women Entrepreneurs moved to Yaoundé, chaired by Mrs. Douja Gharbi, Board Member and executive CNFCE assisted by Mrs. Jalila Ben Mbarek coordinator of the CNFCE.The Tunisian ambassador of Cameroon, his Excellency Essid Riyadh and the general consul Mr Hattab Haddaoui were ubiquitous in all official ceremonies and provided the Tunisian women entrepreneur with a supporting team in the place of exhibition held during the congress.
The Tunisian Exhibition place included participants operating in different sectors, namely textiles, cosmetics and crafts, it was much visited and Tunisian products have enjoyed great success with Cameroon.
Contacts between Tunisian and Cameroonian women entrepreneurs took place mainly at the Tunisian expository place and several partnership proposals and representations were made on both sides. The award of best exhibition place went to Tunisia at a formal ceremony and a closing dinner attended by diplomats and VIP’s
The Tunisian delegation headed by Mrs. Douja Gharbi was received on the last day by the Minister Counselor of the President of Cameroon who has expressed interest in Cameroon to develop economic and trade relations with Tunisia. For their part, members of the Tunisian delegation expressed their desire and willingness to enter the Cameroonian market.
Several meetings and roundtables were held during the congress which started just after the official opening ceremony. Indeed there were several days of training and B2B on the C & GO paltform, those days were attended by more than 100 African women eager for knowledge wishing to make use of technology to promote their business.
A seminar was also organized by African Development Bank where there was an intervention of several donators and financial institutions, offering financial solutions for women to save their businesses from the global crisis. There were also testimonies from Women Entrepreneur, including Mauritius, and Tunisia presented by Mrs. Douja Gharbi, Executive Board Member of the National CNFCE.
Finally, and following the World committee, the CNFCE was able to present some of its projects planned under his membership in the MENA BWN and announces its biannual exhibition “EXPOFEMINA 2010”at the annual General assembly FCEM.
It’s noteworthy that during the general assembly it was decided to renew Mrs. Françoise Foning to head FCEM for another term of 2 years.
This meeting was then closed by signing a partnership agreement between the CNFCE Tunisia – GFAC Cameroon and a second partnership between GFAC and the Mexican Women Entrepreneurs’ association and finally reading recommendations of the 57th congress FCEM.
