COMMUNIQUE ISSUED AT THE END OF THE 8TH SOUTH AMERICA – AFRICA – MIDDLE EAST – ASIA WOMEN SUMMIT (VIRTUAL) ORGANISED BY THE AMAZONS WATCH MAGAZINE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CENTRE FOR ECONOMIC AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT (CELD) WHICH HELD VIRTUALLY ON DECEMBER 17, 2020 WITH THE THEME BUILDING BACK TRANSFORMED ECONOMIES POST COVID-19: THE NEED FOR INCLUSIVE LEADERSHIP
OVERVIEW:
The South America – Africa – Middle East – Asia Women Summit – (SAMEAWS) is an annual unprecedented summit, organized by the Amazons Watch magazine in partnership with the Centre for Economic and Leadership Development (CELD), which brings together, the most influential and prominent women, and key stakeholders in Africa, Middle East, Asia, and the South American regions to re-emphasize and vividly demonstrate the critical role of women to the future of Africa, Middle East, Asia, and South American Economies; thereby effectively utilizing the world’s greatest untapped resource – its women.
The SAMEAWS Summit in its 8th edition which due to the COVID-19 pandemic, held virtually for first time on December 17, 2020 had participants and key stakeholder from across South America, Africa, Europe, the United Kingdom, and United States of America. The summit speakers included Mrs. Ibifuro Ken – Giami, Executive Director, Centre for Economic & Leadership Development (CELD), who gave the welcome address, Rep. Karen Camper, President of the National Organization of Black Elected Legislative Women (NOBEL) USA, who delivered the keynote address, Her Excellency, Silvana Abdo, the First Lady of Paraguay and Her Excellency María Juliana Ruiz Sandoval, the First Lady of Colombia who made presentations on First Ladies on a Mission.
Other speakers and panelists included Ms Cecilia Akintomide OON, Former Vice President / Secretary General of the AfDB, and Independent Director FBN Holdings Plc., Ms Veronica Artola Jarrrin, Governor, Central Bank of Ecuador, Ms Karen Miller – Global Head, Leadership & Diversity Programs, Women’s World Banking, Dr Asma Salman – Blockchain Developer & Associate Professor of Finance at American University in the Emirates, Dubai – UAE, and Honourable Bagel Garba Maryam, Commissioner for Commerce and Industry – Bauchi state Nigeria. And Honourable Dee Dawkins – Haigler, Former Chair Georgia Legislative Black Caucus – USA, who made awards Presentations and Inducted recipients into the CELD’s Global Female Leaders Hall of Fame.
The theme of the 8th SAMEAWS is Building Back Transformed Economies Post Covid-19: The Need for Inclusive Leadership, which explored unique approaches to economy recovery post-COVID-19, and encouraged global female political and business leaders to forge and create powerful networks that would strengthen their influence and impact in their countries and their pledge for inclusive leadership in their nations and businesses.
The summit was hosted via zoom conferencing and streamed live across African Leadership Group social media and media partner pages. The opening plenary which started at exactly 12:00 PM (GMT), had over one thousand two hundred (1200) online participants via zoom and social media which included development specialists, educationalist, business professionals, Female Heads of Government and Senior Female Government Leaders, First Ladies and Wives of Heads of Government, Major Industry Titans and Stakeholders, Female Heads and Members of Boards, Female Business Leaders and Leading CEOs, Academics, Researchers and Research scholars, Women Development Institutions and International Development Institutions from across South America, Africa, Europe, the United Kingdom, and United States of America.
OPENING PLENARY
The summit started with a virtual slideshow introduction of the speakers, invocation and Introductions by Ms. Priscilla Nwikpo, Broadcaster and CEO Kairos Media UK who served as Director of ceremonies.
Welcome Address: The welcome address was delivered by Mrs Furo Ken – Giami, the Executive Director of Centre for Economic & Leadership Development, who welcomed the distinguished speakers, made a brief introduction of the summit. She reeled out the expectations of the summit which include; setting the stage on the urgency for more inclusive leadership as a way of building back transformed economies post covid-19. She reiterated the fact that gender inclusive leadership will be an important part of the road map to recovery after the pandemic. Mrs. Ken – Giami while commiserating with those who have lost loved ones, jobs, or sources of livelihood to the pandemic urged them to see this as an urgent call for inclusive leadership and for women leaders to roll up their sleeves to ensure women in their communities have access to finance, knowledge, technology, etc. She also, expressed optimism that discussions from the summit will shed light on best practices and insights on the best way for women to access capital.
Keynote Address: The keynote address was delivered by Rep Karen Camper, President, National Organization of Black Elected Legislative Women, USA. She observed introductory protocols and expressed her appreciation to the for being a part of the summit. In her delivery, she stated that one of the biggest wins in the world is the ability to see the problems we have. Noting that we no longer have the luxury to deny our problems or to deny that we have the ability to solve them. Rep Kamper stressed the impact of a black woman being at the helm of affairs in the coming American administration and reiterated that with inclusion comes innovation. “The pandemic has shown us that work is truly important and even with all the difficulties we have, the pandemic has shown us that with tenacity and courage, women can get what they want” she said. She also highlighted her role in advocacy for women and gender inclusion through her office.
Plenary Discussion: What would you like to see Post – COVI19 with regards to women and inclusive leadership?
Mrs Ibifuro Ken Giami highlighted the importance of collaborative effort towards achieving inclusive leadership for women, and the need for women to be adequately prepared for inclusion. “It’s not just saying that we need inclusive leadership, or that women have low representation in leadership, we also want to see women who have been really trained. A community where women come together to learn” She said.
FIRST LADIES ON A MISSION PRESENTATIONS:
The First Ladies presentation, titled First Ladies on a Mission was moderated by Ms Nwandi Lawson, who is a Media Consultant and the CEO Virtues Collective LLC, Atlanta USA
She introduced the session as she noted that there have been dissenting opinions about the functions of the office of the First Lady in many developing nations.
However, First Ladies around the world have consistently thrown their weight behind the fight against most of the challenges that plague the world, such as – Poverty, Hunger, Diseases and health-related challenges, Lack of Quality Education, Gender Inequality, Unsafe Water and Sanitation, among others. This has left a trail of direct impact in the lives of girls, women, and the most vulnerable populace. As was seen in the support from most of the offices of nations first ladies during the recent coronavirus pandemic
Noting that the First Ladies on a Mission Session of the SAMEAWS summit enlightens participants of the laudable projects and social courses undertaken by First Ladies, and the impact these projects have had on the people of their nations. She introduced the session participants for SAMEAWS 2020 (Virtual), Her Excellency, Silvana Abdo, the First Lady of Paraguay and Her Excellency María Juliana Ruiz Sandoval, the First Lady of Colombia.
Presentation 1: By Her Excellency Silvana Abdo – First Lady of Paraguay: Her Excellency Silvana Abdo, who has a professional background in public relations expressed her appreciation for being part of the summit which allows First Ladies to share experiences about the work that they are engaged in.
She highlighted for initiatives that her office prioritized which include:
The first thousand days of a child’s life from the first months of gestation to two years of age and includes projects on mother and child care and early childhood, child nutrition, prenatal care and oral health.
Women’s Economic and Social Empowerment: through the implementation of national plans that promote economic and social empowerment, as well as women’s protagonist participation, in urban and rural areas.
Creative and Cultural Economies: with the aim of promoting cultural industries and creative entrepreneurship and strengthening the cultural processes of the various sectors of the country, based on inclusion, sustainability, innovation and cultural diversity at the national and international levels. And
Volunteering: which promotes voluntary citizen participation as a tool for the formation of social capital that leads to a more supportive, free and equitable Paraguay.
She noted that, “although the arrival of COVID-19 forced us to take urgent measures and find solutions to the different challenges that arose, our most vulnerable women were already being trained and had tools and resources that in many cases allowed them to sustain the family economy”.
And highlighted the need for continuous work on the empowerment of women. The office of the First Lady of Paraguay provides important support to women entrepreneurs through different initiatives.
Presentation 2: By Her Excellency María Juliana Ruiz Sandoval, the First Lady of Colombia: Her Excellency María Juliana Ruiz Sandoval delivered her presentation through a prerecorded video, appreciating the organizers of the summit and her colleagues, the First Ladies of Brazil and Paraguay.
She stated that First Ladies of nations automatically receive a role without a rule book with limited budgets and great expectation upon assumption of their office. And although they do not have an obligation, First Ladies assume a voluntary obligation to put their capabilities at the service of their country and positively impact their societies.
Her Excellency Ruiz Sandoval defined her roles in the line of the SDG 17; Partnership for the Goals in which she identifies with two major capabilities, Advocacy and Convening.
She serves her country as a goodwill ambassador for the SDG 17, embracing the value of multi stakeholder partnerships, businesses and civil society.
She stated that she has been working on Nutrition: Nourishing of the soul and nourishing of the body working within the framework of the great alliance for nutrition. Which expands the nutrients offering for pregnant women, nursing mothers, children and adolescents contributing to their physical and cognitive development. Preventing and eradicating malnutrition in Children.
She has also been part of Colombia’s inter-sectoral commissions on food security and nutrition, where the work of all its members have shown a significant decrease of about 40% in malnutrition of children under the age of five.
She also advocates against violence against children. Promoting zero tolerance to violence against children.
SESSION 2: GENDER, POLICY AND FINANCIAL INCLUSION – LEAPFROGGING WOMEN’ SACCESS TO CAPITAL:
The Gender, Policy and Financial Inclusion session was moderated by Ms Noleen Mariappen, Founder Saffa Globalis. The panel was a discussion with financial leaders from across developing countries and the speakers include: Ms Cecilia Akintomide OON, Former Vice President / Secretary General of the AfDB, and Independent Director FBN Holdings Plc., Ms Veronica Artola Jarrrin, Governor, Central Bank of Ecuador, Ms Karen Miller – Global Head, Leadership & Diversity Programs, Women’s World Banking, Dr Asma Salman – Blockchain Developer & Associate Professor of Finance at American University in the Emirates, Dubai – UAE, and Honourable Bagel Garba Maryam, Commissioner for Commerce and Industry – Bauchi state Nigeria.
AMAZONS WATCH MAGAZINE AWARDS PRESENTATION
The session was hosted by Hon Dee Dawkins –Haigler, Former Chair Georgia Legislative Black Caucus who called on Dr Ken Giami, Executive Chairman, African Leadership (UK) Limited, Publishers of Amazons Watch Magazine to his remarks.
Awards Recipients
Her Excellency Silvana Abdo – First Lady of Paraguay
Her Excellency María Juliana Ruiz Sandoval, the First Lady of Colombia
Hon. Bagel Garba Maryam, Commissioner for Commerce & Industry – Bauchi state Nigeria
Dr. Giami’s remarks
Unveiling of the Amazons Watch magazine 2020 winter edition – Video Slideshow Showcase
Awards Presentations and honourees Induction into the Global Female Leaders Hall of Fame by Hon Dee Dawkins-Haigler, Fmr Chair Georgia Legislative Black Caucus
Acceptance remarks by honourees
Virtual Group photograph
RESOLUTIONS/RECOMMENDATIONS
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