COMFWB and COMFWB Malawi Chapter advanced youth entrepreneurship and market access at National Youth Summit 2026
The COMESA Federation of Women in Business (COMFWB) and the COMFWB Malawi Chapter participated in the Malawi Youth Summit from August 18 to 20, 2026, at the Bingu International Convention Centre (BICC) in Lilongwe. Convened under the theme "Accelerating Progress: Reflecting on Impact, Expanding Prospects for Youth Development in Malawi," the event gathered approximately 1,000 stakeholders from government, civil society, academia, development institutions, and youth enterprises.
The multi-day summit served as a national platform for policy dialogue on standards compliance, economic inclusion, regulatory frameworks, and financial architecture for emerging enterprises. Prominent policy and industry leaders contributed to the sessions, including standard-setting bodies, banking executives, ministerial representatives, and international agencies.
A central element of COMFWB's participation was driven through the ECOWYERT project. Programme Officer Esther Mambo represented the organization in a high-level panel discussion titled "Delivering for Youth Entrepreneurs: Access to Finance, Incubation and Mentorship for Growth." The intervention highlighted COMFWB's ongoing work in business incubation, market linkages, and access to growth capital across Southern Africa.
The ECOWYERT project operates across six target countries—Malawi, Zambia, Democratic Republic of Congo, South Africa, Botswana, and Zimbabwe—through a joint partnership involving UNDP, ITC, COMFWB, BTCA, and TDF.
In tandem with the plenary sessions, COMFWB Malawi coordinated an exhibition showcase highlighting value-added products from its member network. The exhibition facilitated direct business-to-business networking, brand exposure, and market connection opportunities for women- and youth-led enterprises.
The COMESA Federation of Women in Business (COMFWB) and the COMFWB Malawi Chapter participated in the Malawi Youth Summit from August 18 to 20, 2026, at the Bingu International Convention Centre (BICC) in Lilongwe. Convened under the theme "Accelerating Progress: Reflecting on Impact, Expanding Prospects for Youth Development in Malawi," the event gathered approximately 1,000 stakeholders from government, civil society, academia, development institutions, and youth enterprises.
The multi-day summit served as a national platform for policy dialogue on standards compliance, economic inclusion, regulatory frameworks, and financial architecture for emerging enterprises. Prominent policy and industry leaders contributed to the sessions, including standard-setting bodies, banking executives, ministerial representatives, and international agencies.
A central element of COMFWB's participation was driven through the ECOWYERT project. Programme Officer Esther Mambo represented the organization in a high-level panel discussion titled "Delivering for Youth Entrepreneurs: Access to Finance, Incubation and Mentorship for Growth." The intervention highlighted COMFWB's ongoing work in business incubation, market linkages, and access to growth capital across Southern Africa.
The ECOWYERT project operates across six target countries—Malawi, Zambia, Democratic Republic of Congo, South Africa, Botswana, and Zimbabwe—through a joint partnership involving UNDP, ITC, COMFWB, BTCA, and TDF.
In tandem with the plenary sessions, COMFWB Malawi coordinated an exhibition showcase highlighting value-added products from its member network. The exhibition facilitated direct business-to-business networking, brand exposure, and market connection opportunities for women- and youth-led enterprises.
