Dr. Amani Abou-Zeid, Commissioner for Infrastructure and Energy of the African Union Commission (AUC) made the remarks at the 7th PIDA Week meeting underway in Nairobi, Kenya, during a session on investing in MSMEs-led small-scale infrastructure projects for growth and job creation.
She said; “We need to see African Women not as beneficiaries & owners of scale businesses, but at the highest level of the supply chain as decision-makers, as heads of enterprises, as owners of large enterprises.”
Global Water Partnership Southern Africa is currently working with its partners to ensure that there are no gender disparities in the management of projects around water, climate change, or development.
“The goal of the Water, Climate, Development, and Gender Investments –AIP WACDEP-G programme is to ensure that the management of ongoing and new climate resilient water infrastructure investments, institutions and job creation interventions strategically advance gender equality,” explained Mr. Alex Simalabwi, GWPSA Executive Secretary.
Meanwhile, chair of the EAC Council of Ministers, Honourable Betty Maina has urged governments to take MSMEs as tools that can propel their countries to recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic.
Chair of the EAC Council of Ministers Honourable Betty Maina
“SMEs are the life force of our economies. In Africa, SMEs make up 90% of the private sector & provide estimated 80% of jobs across the continent, representing an important driver of socio-economic growth.
“It’s the government’s responsibility to create a conducive environment for business to thrive! Africa needs to invest in integrated infrastructure to develop. Our priority is to deepen Public-Private Partnerships to fast track infrastructure development in the region,” said Honorouble Betty Maina.
The objective of the CBN Solutions Dialogue was to highlight the importance of small-scale infrastructure investment and micro-, small, and medium-sized enterprises in accelerating economic recovery and community resilience.