The African Union Annual Small and Medium Enterprises Forum

MEDIA ADVISORY
THE AFRICAN UNION ANNUAL SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES FORUM
 

INVITATION TO THE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE MEDIA
What: The African Union Annual Small and Medium Enterprises Forum under the theme: “Powering industrialization through SMEs, Women and Youth Entrepreneurs for inclusive development”

Who: The Department of Economic Development, Trade, Tourism, Industry, and Minerals (ETTIM) of the African Union Commission, is organising the first annual SME Forum in collaboration with the Africa Business Council and All-African Association for SMEs (AAASME).

Highlights:

• Launch of the African SME Development Partnership Platform.
• Unveiling of the Enterprise Africa Network (EAN).
• African Congress for SMEs, Women and Youth Entrepreneurs.
• Women Awards Gala.

To register online press HERE
 

Objectives of the Forum

• The main objective of the first Africa SME Annual Forum is to promote, upskill and strategize for a better, more inclusive African SME sector to realize Africa’s Industrialization in the context of the integrated market.
• The specific objectives of the forum will be to:
• Celebrate the Micro-, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises Day
• Provide SME support by providing training in Quality Infrastructure, Intellectual Property Rights, access to Finance and Access to Market specially e-commerce.
• Promote policies for the development and growth of SMEs in Africa;
• Advocate for the domestication and implementation of the AU SME Policies and Strategies;
• Present Enterprise Africa Network;

Expected Outcomes:

• The Event will have four major outcomes, namely:
• Improve the capacity of SMEs, and Start-ups, on Quality Infrastructure, Intellectual Property Rights, access to finance, and e-commerce;
• Establish a continuous platform for policymakers and high-level participants from the private sector to interact on the technical aspects of the development of SMEs and Start-ups, share knowledge and provide best practices for SME growth and development.
• Establish a regional and continental collaboration between the private sector and public institutions on industrial research, technology, innovation, and improved support to SMEs.
• Present the Enterprise African Network to the SMEs, Start-ups, and all the participants.

Media representatives are invited to cover the opening ceremony of the African Union Annual Small and Medium Enterprises Forum