Despite the efforts made by various governments, numerous constraints hinder women's economic empowerment. They face obstacles such as limited access to financing and a lack of technical support.

This diagnosis was carried out by the Association for the Promotion of Entrepreneurship in Senegal (APES), at the opening of the 2nd edition of the Economic and Commercial Meetings of Women of Senegal.

The meeting was held under the theme: "Another Senegal is possible." It was chaired by Mamadou Ndiaye, Chief of Staff to the Minister of Microfinance and the Social and Solidarity Economy.

An initiative by APES aims to promote women's expertise and strengthen their participation in food sovereignty and the country's economic development. A meeting brought together women from all 45 departments of Senegal. They came to showcase their products, share their experiences, and participate in training sessions on entrepreneurship, local processing, and digital management.

The organizers believe that "sustainable development cannot be achieved without the full participation of women, who represent a real, yet still undervalued, economic force." Therefore, these women emphasized the need to pool their efforts and promote viable and profitable collective structures.

Furthermore, these meetings aim to create a sustainable platform for collaboration and mutual support among women entrepreneurs, to better adapt to the challenges of globalization, competitiveness and digitalization.

Minister Alioune Dione, through his Chief of Staff, welcomed the holding of this meeting and stressed that it "fits perfectly in line with the vision of the President of the Republic, Bassirou Diomaye Diakhar Faye, and his Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko, who advocate an economic model based on import substitution and food sovereignty."

He reaffirmed his Department's commitment to supporting women in all regions of the country, in order to build an inclusive, just and prosperous Senegal.