Celebrated in approximately 180 countries around the world, the Global Entrepreneurship Week aims at encouraging entrepreneurship through a range of activities geared at promoting business creation and development, fostering entrepreneurial networks as well as collaboration amongst stakeholders to empower entrepreneurs.
The official opening ceremony of the Global Entrepreneurship Week that took place on 10th November 2021 at the GICAM headquarters in Douala was personally presided over by Minister Achille BASSILEKIN III in the presence of a host of public-private partners and actors of the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Cameroon. In a bid to curb the negative impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic currently affecting the entrepreneurial environment as well as facilitate the adaptation of entrepreneurs to new production, marketing, distribution and consumption technique imposed by the pandemic, this year’s edition is celebrated under the theme “Capitalizing on entrepreneurial opportunities in times of crisis”.
Speaking in the course of the event, Minister Achille BASSILEKIN III assured SMEs that amidst the challenges encountered, government remains its fervent partner in ensuring the growth of the SME sector. Thus, the synergy between government and SMEs remains solid in the development, expansion and consolidation of the entrepreneurial sector that can benefit from government’s support. In the framework of public-private exchanges taking place in the course of this week and given the devastating effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, various avenues will be explored that will permit the reinforcement and consolidation of the entrepreneurial ecosystem so as to bring forth eminent entrepreneurs as well as foster the emergence of Cameroon.
Running till the 14th of November 2021, the week-long event celebrated simultaneously in all the 10 regions of the country will promote entrepreneurship, business creation and development as well as foster entrepreneurial collaboration to empower entrepreneurs and strengthen their communities across the country. In addition, the aim will be to inspire young and older people to become more involved in entrepreneurship. To this effect, reflections and exchanges to mark the festival mainly revolve around an innovative entrepreneurship in Cameroon. Series of activities such as workshops, discussions and fields visits in view of promoting the entrepreneurial culture so as to prepare future entrepreneurs, who are keen on innovation, to create added value to their products will characterize the celebrations. It should be noted these activities are also aimed at educating and building up solid collaborative entrepreneurial ecosystem in Cameroon. Guided tours of companies with entrepreneurial success stories are also been earmarked for this event.
Worthy to note that this event also served as an occasion for MINPMEESA and the Global Entrepreneurship Network to solidify their union through the signing of a convention aimed at putting MINPMEESA’s technical expertise at the disposal of the Global Entrepreneurship Network.