WHO: His Excellency Alassane Ouattara, President of the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire

Ivanka Trump, Advisor to the President, United States

Akinwumi A. Adesina, President of the African Development Bank

Bandar M. H. Hajjar, President of the Islamic Development Bank

Kristalina Georgieva, CEO of the World Bank

U.S. Senator Lindsay Graham and other high-ranking officials

WHAT: Women Entrepreneurs Finance Initiative (We-Fi) Regional Summit

WHERE: Sofitel Abidjan-Hôtel Ivoire, Boulevard Hassan II, 08 BP 01, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire 

WHEN: Wednesday, April 17, 2019, 1:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. GMT

On Wednesday, April 17, 2019, the Government of the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire will host the first Women Entrepreneurs Finance Initiative (We-Fi) (https://We-Fi.org) West Africa Regional Summit. The Summit is organized by We-Fi in collaboration with the World Bank Group, the African Development Bank (www.AfDB.org), and the Islamic Development Bank. 

The event will feature His Excellency Alassane Ouattara, President of the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire, Advisor to the U.S. President Ivanka Trump, President of the African Development Bank Akinwumi Ayodeji Adesina, President of the Islamic Development Bank Bandar M. H. Hajjar, and World Bank CEO Kristalina Georgieva, U.S. Senator Lindsay Graham and other high-ranking officialss. Participants will discuss concrete ways to strengthen support for women-led small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in West Africa.

The event will also feature successful women entrepreneurs, private sector executives, ministers, and key We-Fi government representatives and partners focusing on transformative actions required to improve women entrepreneurs’ access to finance, markets, and networks through public policy reforms and private sector actions.

RSVP: Journalists must register for this event. Limited space is available.

Journalists based in Côte d’Ivoire must have press accreditation and a valid press card.

Journalists outside of Côte d’Ivoire must have valid press credentials issued by national or local authorities and a valid press card. Journalists must have clear evidence that you are on assignment from a specific news organization or publication. A valid assignment letter from that news organization or publication is required.

U.S. based journalists must have valid press credentials issued by either the White House, the U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Department of the Treasury, the House and Senate Press Gallery, the U.S. Department of Defense, or the USIA Foreign Press Center.

Interested members of the media must RSVP by no later than Friday, April 12, 2019 at 5 p.m. GMT.