South Africa’s President, Cyril Ramaphosa says women should be given the chance to lead the business sector in Africa.
Ramaphosa made the declaration in Durban, at the 2nd Intra-African Trade Fair, hosted by South Africa.
He said: “Half of Africa’s population are women, and they are the dominant actors in the informal sectors of Africa’s economic landscape. Despite this, women-only generate around a third of the continent’s combined GDP.
“It is important that the Intra-African Trade Fair gives special attention to African women in business, recognizing their great potential as drivers of economic change across the continent.”
The South African leader also called on African countries to integrate by stepping up business relations with one another.
“Trade is built on bedrock of investment. We must therefore find ways of attracting more investment into our economies, and, crucially, we must encourage African businesses to invest in each other’s countries.
“This requires that we improve the ease of doing business in our countries and provide protection for investors through strong and independent legal systems that will ensure the sanctity of contract and fair and expeditious legal processes.
“It means also that investors must be sensitive to our continent’s development goals: jobs, industrialization and development of local entrepreneurs,” Ramaphosa added.
The South African President stressed that the Africa Continental Free Trade Area will go a long way in boosting trade among African countries.
“The AfCFTA aspires to connect all the regions of Africa, to deepen economic integration and to boost intra-African trade and investment. It aspires to create a single market for goods and services across 55 countries and our continent, creating a market of as much as 1.3 billion people with a combined GDP of $3.4 trillion.
“This year’s Intra-African Trade Fair is about building bridges. It brings together governments, buyers, investors, entrepreneurs and manufacturers from more than 55 countries to give life to the African Continental Free Trade Area,” he added.
PIAK
