Mayors-Private Sector Conference

Initiative Africa (IA) co-facilitated the Mayors-Private Sector Conference which took place on May 6^th and 7^th which was titled ” Cities as Engines of Business Proliferation: What is Missing in Ethiopian Context?”. The thematic areas of the discussion sessions were:

• Traineeship, apprenticeships and internship: key changes and good practices in cities
• Changing mind-sets towards entrepreneurship – how can they be made more attractive in building businesses in cities?
• Schemes and sources of financing and financing models for entrepreneurship in cities
• Preserving cities while growing them
• Leveraging cities’ potential for their growth

The conference was aimed at increasing Mayors’ understanding of their own entrepreneurship eco-system, discovering innovative policies that improve economic outcomes, and implementing those policies within their unique cities.

The conference was attended by over 50 Mayors, private sector leaders, different Chambers of Commerce and business associations, high level officials from different Ministries and other public offices and other stakeholders working in the Ethiopian Business Environment.