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"Middle East and North Africa Businesswomen's Network Elects Officers, Prepares for Growth"

Source: Reuters

Washington, D.C. – An idea conceived by businesswomen at a 2005 meeting in Tunis to establish formal linkages across the MENA region has taken a major step forward on its way to formalizing these relationships. Officially launched in Abu Dhabi in 2006 as a loose-knit network, the MENA Businesswomen’s Network (MENA BWN) recently elected its first group of officers who, along with its Board of Directors, will lead the Network through the startup phase as an independent non-profit, non-governmental organization.

The new leadership was announced at the June 16-18 semi-annual MENA BWN Leadership Meeting in Doha, Qatar. Afnan Al Zayani, member of the Bahrain Businesswomen Society (BBS) and president of Al Zayani Commercial Services, was elected President; Amel Bouchamaoui, vice president of Chambre Nationale des Femmes Chefs d’Entreprises (CNFCE) and head of Maille Fil, a textile company based in Tunisia, will serve as Vice President; and Lana Dajani, member of Business and Professional Women – Amman and HR manager at Arabtech Jardaneh Engineers and Architects, will be Treasurer. Members of the MENA BWN are businesswomen’s organizations from 11 Network “Hub” countries in the Gulf, the Levant and North Africa, each acting as one voting representative on the Board of Directors.

For almost three years, with support from the US-Middle East Partnership Initiative, members of the Network have conducted programs reaching over 10,000 businesspeople and professionals, helping them to develop business skills, build and strengthen their own networks, participate in forums with high profile U.S. and regional experts and ”give back” to their communities through mentoring and advocacy programs.

“It is a pleasure to work with these accomplished women and an honor to serve them as we work toward our shared goals of promoting women’s entrepreneurship and increasing the number and value of women’s businesses,” said Afnan Al Zayani, incoming president. “At the same time, we are focused on ensuring that our work has greater benefit to our communities and neighbors by making them better places to live and work in,” she added.

The MENA BWN is currently funded by the Middle East Partnership Initiative of the U.S. Department of State with program management and operational support coming from Vital Voices Global Partnership. Since its inception, the intent has been that the MENA BWN would become an autonomous and self-sustaining NGO and the election of officers and subsequent planning and development continues to move it in that direction.

Vital Voices trains and empowers women leaders around the world and the MENA BWN is a major initiative in its economic advancement efforts. “This is a remarkable group of women who are successful in their own businesses, active in their communities and who clearly see that the opportunity for greater collaboration locally, regionally and globally will bring great benefit to all. They believe deeply in the power of this Network,” said Mary MacPherson, director of the MENA BWN for Vital Voices. “What seems very unique is the extent of collaboration and focus on really doing business across this vast and diverse geography. It is inspiring and you can literally feel the energy driving them forward,” she commented.

The MENA Businesswomen’s Network continues to grow and thrive as Network Hubs expand their membership and new Hub countries join. The continued collaboration of businesswomen in the Middle East and North Africa will expand economic opportunities for all women in the region, allowing for more jobs created, economic growth, and increased prosperity.

MENA Businesswomen’s Network

The MENA Businesswomen's Network is a partnership of local businesswomen's organizations across the Middle East and North Africa, Vital Voices Global Partnership and the Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) of the U.S. Department of State. The goal of the partnership is to build a regional network of businesswomen to expand the number of women in business, to increase the value of their businesses, to advance the role of women in society, and to promote a regional culture of women's entrepreneurship.

The eleven Founding Members of the Network are: Association des Femmes Chefs d’Entreprises du Maroc (AFEM), Bahrain Businesswomen’s Society, Business Women Forum – Palestine, Dubai Business Women’s Council, Kuwait Economic Society, Lebanese League for Women in Business, Business & Professional Women Association – Amman, Chambre Nationale des Femmes Chefs d'Entreprises (CNFCE), Qatari Business Women Forum, Association for Women’s Total Advancement and Development (AWTAD – Egypt), and the Association des Algériennes Managers et Entrepreneurs (AME). More information about the MENA BWN can be found at www.menabwn.org.

About Vital Voices Global Partnership

Vital Voices Global Partnership is the preeminent non-governmental organization (NGO) that identifies, trains, and empowers emerging women leaders and social entrepreneurs around the globe, enabling them to create a better world for us all. An international staff and team of over 1,000 partners, pro bono experts and leaders, including senior government, corporate and NGO executives, have trained and mentored more than 7,000 emerging women leaders from over 127 countries in Asia, Africa, Eurasia, Latin America, and the Middle East since 1997. They have equipped these women with management, business development, marketing, and communications skills to expand their enterprises, help to provide for their families, and create jobs in their communities. These women have returned home to train and mentor more than 200,000 additional women and girls in their communities. More information about Vital Voices can be found at www.vitalvoices.org.

About MEPI

The MENA BWN is funded through the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, Office of the Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI). MEPI supports efforts to expand political participation, strengthen civil society and the rule of law, empower women and youth, create educational opportunities, and foster economic reform throughout the Middle East and North Africa. In support of these goals, MEPI works with non-governmental organizations, the private sector, academic institutions and governments. More information about MEPI can be found at www.mepi.state.gov.

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