PRESS RELEASE

Group photo at the Sofitel Hotel Ivoire, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire

Abidjan, 27th May 2025 – On the sidelines of the African Development Bank (AfDB) Annual Meetings, the African Women Leaders Network – Private Sector Coalition (AWLN-PSC) convened a high-level dialogue at the Sofitel Hotel Ivoire. The event highlighted the coalition’s ambitions to advance women’s leadership in Africa’s economic development.

Driven by a shared commitment to transforming the private sector into a lever for sustainable inclusion, the gathering brought together influential women, business leaders, technical partners, donors, youth, media, and government representatives. The objective was fully achieved: the Coalition’s mission was presented, its 2025–2026 strategic roadmap was launched, and strong synergies were built around women’s entrepreneurship.

Mme Hafou Touré, Co-Chair of the AWLN-PSC, unveiled a bold roadmap focused on three key pillars: visibility and recognition of women leaders in the private sector; capacity building and access to executive roles; and corporate engagement through concrete, measurable actions.

“African women are ready. They are competent, innovative, and they are transforming our continent. Our mission is to support them all the way to the highest levels of decision-making.”

Building on her remarks, Mme Sefora Kodjo, Chair of the AWLN Côte d’Ivoire, expressed hope that this event would mark the beginning of a new dynamic in service of the continent. She applauded the collective commitment to creating an enabling environment for strong, economically grounded women’s leadership in Africa.

Representing the African Development Bank, Mme Yacine Fal reminded participants that women make up 65% of the agricultural workforce on the continent, yet they remain underrepresented in leadership bodies. “Promoting women’s leadership is not just a moral imperative—it is an economic and strategic necessity. It must be integrated into public policy and regional agendas.”She praised the AWLN-PSC initiative as a structuring force for inclusive development in Africa.“Let’s build ecosystems where every woman can dream, create, lead, and succeed.”She urged companies and financial institutions to place gender at the core of their policies and called for greater inclusion of women on corporate boards.

Also in attendance, the Minister of National Cohesion, Solidarity, and the Fight Against Poverty, H.E.  Mme Myss Belmonde Dogo, delivered a powerful message: “Supporting women entrepreneurs is investing in peace, in prosperity, and Africa’s future.”

The event was marked by the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between AWLN—represented by Mme Bineta Diop, Co-Convener of the network—and the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA), represented by Dr. Fatima Elsheikh Farouk Elsheikh El Toum, Secretary General. The partnership was commended by Mme Joyce Mends-Cole, Executive Director of AWLN.

A high-level panel was held on the theme: "Access to Executive and Leadership Positions – What Strategies for Women?" The session focused on identifying levers to promote women’s access to top leadership positions—CEO, institutional president, board member, or other C-suite roles (CFO, COO, etc.). With women still underrepresented in decision-making spheres, prominent leaders and experts shared concrete strategies, inspiring journeys, and actionable recommendations to help reverse the trend.

Finally, Mme Danièle Sassou Nguesso, Co-Chair of AWLN Congo, issued a heartfelt call to action in support of women’s entrepreneurship, highlighting the urgent need to create sustainable mechanisms that support women in realizing their economic ambitions.

For further information or to engage with us, please contact the AWLN Secretariat at: awlnetwork2017@gmail.com