By Sanna Camara
His Excellency, President of the Republic, Mr. Adama Barrow on Monday held discussions with Egyptian President, Abdel Fatah El-Sisi, on agriculture, tourism and support to the Gambia’s security sector reform.
This high profile meeting happened on the sidelines of the Africa Business Forum 2018, where President Adama Barrow led a government delegation to participate alongside other African leaders in government and global businesses in the Egyptian city of Sheik Al-Sham. The event focuses on issues such as infrastructure, finance and energy, and a key feature was the Young Entrepreneurs’ Day and a meeting of influential African women to discuss women empowering Africa.
Prior to the official opening, the Youth Entrepreneurship Day event featured a panel of young entrepreneurs sharing their ideas and start-up projects in the context of nurturing African talents. Egyptian President, El-Sisi welcomed the participants in what he described as “an information sharing forum for pioneering ideas”. He described the African youth as engine of the future, to promote the message that Africa is the future of world’s economy.
President El-Sisi said his government is In support of youth entrepreneurship, thus urging companies to engage in training youth entrepreneurs. Egypt will be launching an entrepreneurial training for ten thousand (10,000) youths in the next three years.
President El-Sisi calls for harnessing the transport systems and communications technology on the continent, which can support entrepreneurships across board. He encouraged the youth to translate their ideas into projects and said that the leaders have great trust in the dreams of the youth. He urged them to think outside the box.
Chairperson of African Union and champions of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement, Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame spoke on the importance of how Africa should view its youthful population as an opportunity and not a threat. In this way, it would facilitate their rise to the levels the continent wants them to be.
Youth panelists from Nigeria, Cameroon, Rwanda and Egypt shared their start-up enterprises that make creative use of technology.
Meanwhile, Her Excellency, Lady Sarjo Mballow-Barrow was hosted by First Lady of Egypt, Her Excellency, Entisar Amer, along with other First Ladies attending the Africa Business Forum 2018. She was honored to a dinner, and a visit to historic sites sin Sharm Al-Sheik and Sinai cities.
