On Thursday, 20 November 2025, Ambassador Beryl Samson met a delegation led by Miti Chikakula, Chief Executive Officer of the COMESA Federation of Women in Business (COMFWB). The group is in Seychelles as part of a regional assessment under the African Union Development Agency–New Partnership for Africa’s Development (AUDA-NEPAD) “Creating Opportunities for Youth and Women in Africa” (COYWA) programme.
Mr Chikakula said the purpose of the visit is to review Seychelles’ readiness for the programme and to examine how regional goals in trade, industry and the Blue Economy are being carried out.
The two sides also discussed the Business Incubator Programme, which aims to help women-led small businesses, start-ups and young entrepreneurs. The initiative, expected to launch in Seychelles in June 2026, will focus on adding value to agricultural products.
According to Mr Chikakula, the project will support new technologies, farming activities and craft production. After the launch, COMFWB plans to offer training to help young entrepreneurs develop the skills needed to create high-value products for specialised markets.
The delegation also outlined COMFWB’s ongoing work to strengthen the role of women in the economy, including efforts to improve financial literacy, project planning and access to micro-credit. The organisation will continue working with financial institutions to encourage support for women entrepreneurs.
Both sides agreed that a Steering Committee will be set up to guide and coordinate the roll-out of the incubation project in Seychelles.