Do not miss the activities of UCLG Africa at the Global Forum of Social Economy (GSEF 2023)

United Cities and Local Governments of Africa will be present at the 2023 edition of the Global Social Economy Forum (GSEF). Organized every two years and co-constructed with member cities across the continents, the GSEF will be held for the first time in Africa from May 1 to 6, 2023, in the city of Dakar, Senegal.

The GSEF is a global network of local governments and civil society networks committed to the promotion of the social and solidarity economy (SSE) as a way towards a “different economy” for the benefit of all, an emancipating local development, centered on people and respectful of the environment.

This edition will adopt a declaration binding the host cities and the participants in order to formalize the commitment to work for this human-centred economy and indispensable tool for achieving the objectives of sustainable development.

The GSEF 2023 will bring together several thousand people from all continents for three days of exchanges and political dialogue preceded by two pre-Forums, the Jeun’ESS Pre-Forum (Youth and SSE, May 1 and 2) and the Femm’ESS Pre-Forum (Women’s Day for SSE, May 3). This mobilization takes on a particular dimension in the context of the recent UN resolution of April 18, 2023, on “the promotion of the social and solidarity economy (SSE) for sustainable development”.

This event will see a strong participation of African local elected officials, including members and leaders of UCLG Africa’s Network of Local Elected Women of Africa (REFELA) and the Network of Young Local Elected Officials of Africa (YELO).

Panelists from the YELO network and young entrepreneurs will meet around the theme of youth empowerment and resilience of territories, and speakers who are members of the REFELA network as well as female entrepreneurs and representatives of cooperatives and women’s associations will address among other things the theme of financing and support of women for their economic empowerment in African territories.

The plenary sessions of the Femm’ESS Pre-Forum will be marked by the interventions of the vice-president of REFELA for the Central Africa region, Mrs. Marie Angèle Meyanga and the vice-president of REFELA for the North Africa region, Mrs. Fatna El Khiel. The latter will also participate in the political segment on the consideration of SSE and gender integration in national, regional and international development strategies, programs and agendas.

The Territorial Coaching approach, promoted by UCLG Africa in collaboration with the Belgian NGO Echos Communication, will also be presented by the Departmental Council of Kaolack and the Centers of Excellence of Territorial Coaching of Oujda and Kaolack, during a session that will also see the participation of Territorial Coaches from the Moroccan region of the Oriental who are certified by the African Local Governments Academy (ALGA) of UCLG Africa. This session, organized within the framework of the PEG project (project for the promotion of gender equality and women’s economic empowerment), will be centered around the organization of support courses for women’s cooperatives and associations and the capacity building of civil society organizations through territorial coaching.

Training and territorial coaching workshops will also be offered to women entrepreneurs.

A panel of mayors and local governments will take place on May 5 and will be marked by the presence of the Secretary General of UCLG Africa, Mr. Jean Pierre Elong Mbassi, leading a large delegation of African local elected officials.

Throughout the GSEF 2023, the UCLG Africa booth will be animated with workshops and meetings, including those of the members of the Senegalese chapters of the YELO and REFELA networks, as well as exchanges between members of both networks, partners, women and young entrepreneurs. A socio-economic and cultural village will host the exhibitions of five (5) women entrepreneurs from different regions of Africa and mobilized by the REFELA Network.

Participants:

Mr. Jean Pierre Elong Mbassi, Secretary General of UCLG Africa
Mr. Buba Aboubakar, Mayor of Lere, Nigeria, YELO Vice-President for West Africa
Mrs. Antoinette Atayi Mepas, Deputy Mayor of Owendo, Gabon, YELO Vice-President for Central Africa
Mrs. Aissata BA, Deputy Mayor of Sebkha, Mauritania, YELO member
Mrs. Fatna El Khiel, REFELA-Morocco President and REFELA Vice-President for North Africa, Mayor of Arbaoua

Ms. Marie Angèle Meyanga, REFELA Vice-President for Central Africa, Mayor of Afanloum, Cameroon
Ms. Maria Helena Langa, REFELA-Mozambique President and Vice-President for the Southern Africa Region, Mayor of Mandlakazi
Ms. Rasmata Compaoré, former President of REFELA-Burkina Faso
Mrs. Kibena Nassoro, REFELA Member of the East Africa Caucus
Mr. Bachir Kanouté, Sponsor of REFELA-Senegal, Executive Director of Enda ECOPOP

Mrs. Thérèse Faye Diouf, REFELA member, Mayor of Diarrèré
Mr. Harouna Camara, YELO member, Mayor of Dinguiraye, Senegal
Ms. Jacqueline Moustache-Belle, Director of the Gender and Youth Department at UCLG Africa
Mrs. AYI épse NKAMGNA Monique, National President of the Social and Solidarity Economy, Mayor of Dzeng, Cameroon
Mrs. Evelyne Tchichelle, Mayor of Pointe-Noire, Republic of Congo

Mrs. Ndeye Maty Cissé, Vice-President of the Kaolack Departmental Council
Mr. Ettayeb El Masbahi, Director of the Center of Excellence for Territorial Coaching
Mrs. Megang Nguelayi Caroline, National President of the Social and Solidarity Economy of Cameroon
Mrs. Khadija Douayri, Elected member of the Regional Council of Oriental, Morocco
Mr. Baba Ndiaye, Ambassador of Territorial Coaching

Mr. Mamouth Diop, Director of the Coaching Center of Kaolack, Senegal
Mr. Gautier Brygo, Director of the Territorial Coaching Department at UCLG Africa, Representative in Morocco of the NGO Echos Communication
Mr. Betari Abdelkader, Project Manager in the Territorial Coaching Department
Mrs. Hamida El Kouche, Territorial Coach
Mr. Brahim Bendouda, Territorial Coach

Mr. Amaël Cognacq, Coordinator of the PEG project at Echos Communication