22/08/2026
ARISE WOMEN OF AFRICA REPRESENTED AT ZIMBABWE-SOUTH AFRICA BUSINESS FORUM
PRETORIA, SOUTH AFRICA — Arise Women of Africa (AWOA) was represented at the South Africa–Zimbabwe Business Forum by its Continental Chairperson, Madam Nyengeterai Mahofa, as Zimbabwe and South Africa strengthened their economic and bilateral cooperation during the 4th Session of the Zimbabwe–South Africa Bi-National Commission.
The high-level Business Forum, held at the Gallagher Convention Centre, brought together Government leaders, business executives, investors, development stakeholders and representatives of various organisations from Zimbabwe and South Africa to explore opportunities for increased trade, investment, industrial development and regional economic integration.
Madam Mahofa’s participation placed Arise Women of Africa within an important continental platform focused on unlocking Africa’s economic potential and strengthening partnerships that can contribute to inclusive and sustainable development.
The Forum was presided over by Zimbabwean President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, who emphasised the need for the two countries to leverage their abundant natural resources, human capital, innovation and industrial capacity to build stronger regional economies.
Of particular significance to Arise Women of Africa was the broader emphasis on women’s economic empowerment and inclusive participation in development. The engagements between Zimbabwe and South Africa culminated in the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on Bilateral Cooperation in the Fields of Women Empowerment and Gender Equality, demonstrating the growing importance attached to advancing women’s participation in the economic and social development of both countries.
The agreement provides an important policy framework for cooperation in an area that remains central to Africa’s development agenda, particularly as countries seek to increase women’s participation in enterprise, investment, leadership and economic decision-making.
For AWOA, the participation of its Continental Chairperson at such a high-level business platform reflects the organisation’s commitment to ensuring that African women are part of conversations shaping the continent’s economic future.
The Business Forum also placed strong emphasis on Africa’s capacity to create value from its own resources. President Mnangagwa highlighted the importance of commercialising innovations emerging from universities and innovation hubs, while calling for Africa’s natural resources to increasingly support industries within the continent and generate greater value for its people.
These priorities resonate with the broader objectives of Arise Women of Africa, which seeks to advance opportunities for women across the continent and contribute towards a future in which African women are active participants in economic transformation, innovation, enterprise and development.
Madam Mahofa’s presence at the Forum therefore provided an opportunity for AWOA to be represented within conversations linking Government, business and civil society around the future of regional economic cooperation.
As Zimbabwe and South Africa continue to deepen their bilateral relationship, platforms such as the Business Forum provide an important avenue for strengthening partnerships that can translate into opportunities for women entrepreneurs, professionals, innovators and leaders.
The participation of Arise Women of Africa further reinforces the organisation’s continental outlook and its commitment to ensuring that the voices, aspirations and economic interests of African women remain central to the continent’s development trajectory.
With the theme of regional integration, investment, innovation and sustainable economic growth dominating the engagements, AWOA’s representation underscored a simple but important principle: Africa’s economic transformation cannot be complete without the full and meaningful participation of its women.
