Washington DC – The First Lady of Angola, Ana Dias Lourenço, stated in Washington, capital city of the United States of America, that Africa can take out millions of people from poverty, promote economic growth and attract investment to boost businesswomen’s potential with the right interventions and policies.
Speaking at a panel with the African First Ladies on the sidelines of the US-Africa Leaders Summit, Ana Dias Lourenço, considered that it is important to reinforce support to the rural woman by improving public policies effectiveness, promoting more and better education and health, access to technologies, the creation of support networks and the encouragement of autonomy for these women and their children in their respective communities.
“To expand and consolidate the African single market, beyond young people, it is crucial to count on women”, said Ana Dias Lourenço.
To Ana Dias Lourenço, the entrepreneurs create Job opportunities, contribute to community development and at medium-long term, they work to improve living conditions across the African continent.
During the First Ladies panel, the role of Africa's cultural diplomacy, the economic empowerment of African women, the importance of investment in African communities and female leadership were discussed.
The First Ladies interacted with several political leaders, business people, artists, financiers, among others, representing a variety of knowledge and ideas, but sharing a common goal which is to promote the sustainable development of the continent based on the empowerment of women and the reduction of gender inequality.
The event also included tributes to the public support of first ladies initiatives by the Presidents of the Central African Republic, Faustin-Archange Touadéra, who defended the importance of girls’ and women's access to formal education.
On his turn, the President of Sierra Leone, Julius Maada Bio, condemned gender-based violence.
The event, held under the theme “Honour the First Ladies of Africa”, was promoted by Women United Foundation and gathered at the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art the President of Sierra Leone and the President of Central African Republic and the First Ladies of Angola, Cabo Verde, Gambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo, as well as the United States ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, artists and other personalities.
