2009 Business Forum and Women Business Leaders Summit of the MENA-OECD Investment Programme

2009 MENA-OECD Business Forum | Women Business Leaders Summit | MENA 100 business plan competition | MENA-OECD Business Council | MENA-OECD Responsible Business Network

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Placing business at the centre of policy

The 2009 MENA-OECD Business Forum

Organised as part of the 2009 MENA-OECD Ministerial Conference in co-operation with the Confédération Générale des Entreprises du Maroc (CGEM), the 2009 Business Forum of the MENA-OECD Investment Programme brings together members of both the private and public sector to work together to

• Strengthen public-private dialogue through high-profile debates between business and government leaders
• Generate new business opportunities and sector-specific contacts - SIGN UP FOR B2B CONTACTS -, and
• Foster exchange and learning in areas such as leveraging technology for business, competitive clusters, or responsible business conduct
  

The MENA-OECD Business Forum seeks to coalesce strong private sector support for investment reform in the MENA region, and maximise the impact of business messages on MENA and OECD political leaders present at the 2009 MENA-OECD Ministerial Conference.

Main conclusions from panellists and participants will be summarised in a Business Statement released in parallel to the Ministerial Declaration.

Download the draft agenda [in English and French] of the 2009 MENA-OECD Business Forum and Women Business Leaders Summit (last updated: 19 November 2009)

The Women Business Leaders Summit

As underlined by the Declaration on Fostering Women’s Entrepreneurship in the MENA Region, women continue to represent an underutilised reservoir for job creation and economic growth in the region.   

The second MENA-OECD Women Business Leaders Summit continues the commitment of members of both the private and public sector to work together to support women’s entrepreneurship through:

• fostering greater awareness of the benefits of entrepreneurship among women
• realising policy reform to remove gender-related obstacles to entrepreneurship
• facilitating the exchange of best practices between MENA and OECD countries on fostering women’s entrepreneurship

MENA 100: Awards ceremony of the MENA 100 business plan competition winners

The winners of the MENA 100 business plan competition will be presented during an awards ceremony.

The MENA-OECD Enterprise Financing Network©, in co-operation with the Islamic Development Bank and the MENA Centre for Investment, is launching the MENA 100 Business Plan Competition that addresses innovative entrepreneurs, from the 18 Arab countries participating in the MENA OECD Investment Programme.

The primary objective of the MENA 100 business plan competition is to encourage existing and inspire potential entrepreneurs, and connect the top 100 in the Middle East and North Africa region with potential sources of finance to generate business transactions.

Launch of the MENA-OECD Business Council

After its preparatory meeting in Paris on 1 October 2009, the MENA-OECD Business Council will formally launch during the 2009 MENA-OECD Business Forum. The purpose of the MENA-OECD Business Council is to create policy advocacy for senior business leaders from the region and OECD countries. The Business Council will give its members a concerted and thus more powerful voice in the policy dialogue in the region.

High-level meeting of the MENA-OECD Responsible Business Network

With a view to actively engage both private and public sectors in responsible business conduct, the co-ordinating committee of the MENA-OECD Responsible Business Network brings together national, regional and international partners.

The network will conduct a high-level meeting at the MENA-OECD Business Forum to assess and exchange responsible business practices in the MENA region.

2007 MENA-OECD Women Business Leaders Forum and Business ForumThe MENA 100 -- Calling for Arab Innovative Entrepreneurs!

First meeting of the Regional Task Force on Responsible Business Conduct, 26 October 2008

Second MENA-OECD Investment Ministerial Meeting: Arab and OECD countries launch new initiatives to promote investment in MENA region, 27 November 2007

For additional information on the Business Forum, please write to mena.investment@oecd.org

For additional information on the Womens Business Leaders Summit, please write to korin.kane@oecd.org