AfYEF To Host Side Event At AfDB Annual General Meeting

Siita Sofo Hissan, Founding President of AfYEF

 

The AfCFTA Young Entrepreneurs Federation (AfYEF) is poised to host a significant side event during the 2025 Annual Meetings of the African Development Bank (AfDB) in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, scheduled for Tuesday, May 27, 2025.

The event will focus on youth and women empowerment within the framework of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

The objective of the event is to highlight the potential of AfCFTA in driving economic transformation, provide practical guidance to emerging entrepreneurs, promote equitable participation in continental trade, and unveil a user-friendly guidebook tailored for Africa’s new generation of business leaders.

Under the theme “Empowering Women and Youth through AfCFTA”, the event is expected to draw a distinguished audience of policymakers, entrepreneurs, investors, and development partners.

Participants will witness the official launch of the AfCFTA Guide Book, a groundbreaking resource designed to assist African entrepreneurs in navigating AfCFTA trade protocols, market entry strategies, and export-readiness tools.

Taking place at the Sofitel Abidjan Hotel, in Salle Bouaké, the session will feature keynote addresses from Secretary-General of the AfCFTA Secretariat, Wamkele Mene, and Director of the Regional Integration Coordination Office at the AfDB, Dr. Joy Kategekwa.

Their speeches will emphasise how AfCFTA can act as a catalyst for inclusive growth by providing youth and women with vital trade opportunities.

Siita Sofo Hissan, the Founding President of AfYEF, told DAILY GUIDE that his keynote address would advocate for targeted investments in youth-led innovation and capacity building.

According to him, he will call for inclusive financing models that address the unique challenges faced by youth and women entrepreneurs, as well as for youth representation in the governance of new financial institutions, particularly the Youth Entrepreneurship Investment Bank (YEIB), an AfDB initiative being piloted in 13 countries.

The event will also feature a panel discussion on various trade topics, showcasing prominent voices including Mr. Siita Sofo Hissan, President of AfYEF; Fredrick Nonde Jr., AfYEF Vice President for Administration; George Opare-Addo, Ghana’s Minister for Youth Development; and Governors from Nigeria, among others.

The event is expected to receive over 200 participants from various African countries, which will be conducted in English with simultaneous French interpretation, and will be available via livestream to reach broader audiences across the continent.

BY Eric Kombat

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