From September 27 to 29, 2002, the African Development Bank, in collaboration with the African Guarantee Fund and the Bankers Association of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), organized & eacute; the second edition of the “AFAWA Finance Series.”

With the intention of addressing the challenges related to access to credit and the opportunities available, with a view to creating a gender-sensitive economy in the DRC, the ADB, the AGF and DRC organized the second edition of the “AFAWA Finance Series”. Several key players in regulatory policy, financial institutions and women owners of SMEs took part in these meetings.

According to Nicolas Kazadi, Minister of Finance, this initiative has added value to female entrepreneurship in the DRC. “The AFAWA initiative consolidates the ongoing efforts in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), which the government very much welcomes. The first financing of 5 million USD, which will be released, will allow us to close the serious funding gap that the DRC faces in terms of financing female entrepreneurs capable of ensuring gender equality,” he stressed.