Women's Economic Empowerment Takes Center Stage At Sharjah-Europe Forum

Sharjah-Europe Businesswomen Forum, organized by the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) and the European Women's Association (EWA), emphasized the importance of speeding up women's economic empowerment as an important factor for sustainable development.

The forum highlighted that businesswomen need access to resources and expertise to start and grow their businesses. It also pointed out how important public-private partnerships are, and how chambers of commerce can help by providing networking opportunities, sharing knowledge, and finding future funding options for women-led businesses to grow in innovative and sustainable ways, WAM reported.

Halima Humaid Ali Al Owais, Board Member of SCCI; Mohamed Al Sahlawi, the UAE Ambassador to Belgium, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, and the European Union attended the event, where several Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) were signed between Sharjah entities and the EWA.

Antoine Delcourt, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Belgium to the UAE, and Yulia Stark, President of European Women's Association (EWA) were also in attendance alongside senior officials and representatives from Sharjah government entities, including the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Center (Sheraa), the Sharjah Business Women Council (SBWC), and the Supreme Council for Family Affairs (SCFA).

Mariam Bin Al Shaikh, Director of SBWC, said that "collaboration and integration in roles and efforts represent one of the most effective strategies for driving substantial transformations in both the national and global economies."

"The outcomes are amplified when engaging with institutions and projects that share common goals and ambitious visions, as exemplified by our partnership with the European Women's Association and various economic and commercial entities in Sharjah," she added.

Fatema Al-Muqarrab, Director of International Relations at SCCI, said the second Sharjah-Europe Businesswomen Forum strengthened cooperation between Sharjah and Belgium and encouraged great discussions and active involvement.

She stated that the participation of businesswomen in the forum helps create international partnerships and opens up chances for innovation and collaboration. Participants also gain important insights into key business ideas that improve their entrepreneurial experiences.

Al-Muqarrab also mentioned the successful visit of the Sharjah Chamber delegation to Belgium, where they made important economic stops and discussed ways to build partnerships in different sectors.

An important agreement was signed by the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, aiming to strengthen trade relations and boost economic cooperation. It will help facilitate the exchange of trade delegations and economic information, support businesswomen, encourage investments between the two regions and increase joint activities between the private sectors of Sharjah and European businesses.