The British High Commission in Mozambique, promoted a few days ago a Business Forum with the objective of connecting Women entrepreneurs, Small and Medium Enterprises and Mega projects.

The meeting brought together women from various business areas in Mozambique and representatives of mega-projects, to discuss strategic solutions to the challenges of entrepreneurship at the local and regional level.

In a context of a challenging business environment, with barriers intensifying for women entrepreneurs, the forum allowed to demystify challenges of market access, financing, and of providing services or partnerships between SMEs and large businesses. One of the solutions addressed was the provision of technical and business management training designed to meet market challenges.

On the occasion, the British High Commissioner in Mozambique, Helen Lewis, said that the great challenge of the moment is to define mechanisms to use these reserves to generate jobs locally, promote the development of local industry and bring local businesses up to the standards required internationally to ensure that the Mozambican people, and women in particular, can enjoy an inclusive economic growth.

The UK government promotes the economic empowerment of women around the world through direct development funding, support of women's empowerment initiatives, and by creating platforms to connect female entrepreneurs and potential business partners at a variety of levels.

The Business Women's Forum brought together dozens of women entrepreneurs and high-level representatives from MIREME, the British Government in Mozambique, and the management of Banco Comercial e de Investimentos - BCI, MOZUP and Total Energies.