News

The Turkey-Africa Business and Economic Forum (TABEF) in Istanbul successfully concluded a two-day event, bringing together over 3,000 Turkish and African business leaders and officials, with a focus on elevating trade and fostering a robust South-South cooperation model. The forum, which was inaugurated by First Lady Mrs. Emine Erdoğan during the Women Business Panel, prominently featured representatives from COMFWB, including Dr. Asfour Amani, Choukri Abdillahi, and Hersio Siad, who worked to establish new partnerships and leverage the AfCFTA's potential. Key discussions centered on technology, digital trade, and manufacturing, emphasizing how Turkey can support Africa's industrialization and provide its producers easier access to Africa’s digital markets, ultimately aiming to transform the partnership into a sustainable and innovation-driven model for mutual growth.

The COMFWB Zambia Agriculture Sector (ZFAWIB) successfully conducted an enriching field visit on October 23, 2025, to Twiishane Agro Solutions, a brilliant sustainable urban farm led by member Madam Grace. During the visit, members gained crucial practical insights into maximizing land use, mastering value addition techniques like plant oil extraction, and adopting modern, productivity-boosting agricultural practices. This initiative strongly reinforces ZFAWIB’s commitment to empowering women in agriculture by providing vital knowledge and capacity building, ensuring the sector becomes a thriving, sustainable, and profitable one for all women entrepreneurs.

The COMFWB Conference-side event, held at the 18th COMESA Business Forum and Exhibition in Nairobi and supported by the Graça Machel Trust (GMT), was a highly successful and transformative gathering focused on "Enhancing the Participation of African Women and Youth-Led SMEs in Trade." The dynamic session provided attendees—including passionate entrepreneurs, policymakers, and innovators—with practical, cutting-edge strategies for scaling businesses, seizing regional integration opportunities, and gaining concrete benefits like Policy Power-Up, Partnership Pipeline, Financing Clarity, and Digital Leap. Ultimately, the event served as a critical launchpad for SMEs, allowing them to absorb wisdom from COMFWB leaders, forge vital connections, and secure their central role in Africa's economic future.

In late September 2025, the COMFWB Eswatini Chapter held three consecutive days of high-impact events focused on empowering entrepreneurs and strengthening its governance. The week began with a Breakfast Meeting on September 24th under the theme: “Unlocking Opportunities: Strengthening Partnerships for Women, Youth & Disability-Led Enterprises.” This successful event connected entrepreneurs with financial institutions and development partners, fostering dialogue, sharing funding models, and securing commitments to collaborative follow-up actions to promote inclusive business growth. Immediately following, the Chapter's Executive Board held a 2-Day Governance & Leadership Workshop (September 25–26). Held at Happy Valley, Ezulwini, the intensive workshop successfully sharpened governance skills, strengthened leadership efficacy, and renewed the Board's commitment to building a more effective chapter. The sessions were facilitated by the COMFWB Board Chairperson with strategic input from the COMFWB CEO. The strategic week concluded with the Chapter strategically poised and energized to translate these strengthened partnerships and improved leadership into measurable economic opportunities across Eswatini.

COMFWB's participation at #IATF2025 was more than just a presence; it was a powerful statement on the necessity of including women in Africa’s economic future. The fair provided an incredible platform to showcase our commitment to women's economic empowerment and inclusivity, aligning with the goals of the #AfCFTA. We had the chance to connect with thousands of visitors and exhibitors from over 140 countries, raising brand awareness and affirming our leadership in the region. Our time at #IATF2025 allowed us to build new partnerships, strengthen existing collaborations, and open up new business opportunities for the women we represent. This was a direct investment in the future of women-led businesses across the continent, helping them thrive in a new era of intra-African trade.