The Summit, which was organized by WE-FI in collaboration with the African Development Bank, the Islamic Development Bank, and the World Bank Group, was hosted by the Government of La Côte d’Ivoire. It was attended by more than 400 public and private sector leaders from West Africa, and other regions. Our role can thus be to incubate and empower their businesses, not just to provide financing,” said Islamic Development Bank Group President Bandar M. H. Hajjar. Acknowledging the importance of public and private sector collaboration, Summit leaders underscored the vital role that private sector and civil society organizations play in improving women’s access to capital, markets, digital skills training, mentorship, and business networks. In April 2018, the World Bank Group and the Islamic Development Bank were among the recipients of We-Fi’s first round of funding to support women-owned and led SMEs, many of which are in Africa.

Source: Daily Observer April 18, 2019 02:15 UTC