Women’s Economic Empowerment Forum commenced as part of the Astana Finance Days.
Promoting women’s economic empowerment and implementation of educational programs for women entrepreneurs was the central focus of the “U.S. - Kazakhstan Cooperation: Opportunities for Women in Business” session organized jointly by the Kazakhstan Embassy in the U.S. and Astana International Financial Center (AIFC).
The session brought together local and international professionals involved in women's economic empowerment, representatives of state bodies and private companies.
Ambassador of Kazakhstan to the U.S. Yerzhan Ashikbayev opened the session. He stressed that in the past few years Kazakhstan demonstrated consistency in supporting the US leadership in its noble cause of empowering women and this event sheds light on the concrete projects which create true tangible opportunities for women in the region to develop their skills, bring up their voices and show leadership in the face of current challenges.
The Ambassador also stated that the Kazakhstani side was delighted that due to active bilateral collaboration, AIFC got an approval to become an Implementation Partner of the U.S. State Department on the expansion of the American Academy for Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) in Kazakhstan. Through this valuable partnership 100 women from Kazakhstan will get free education in business management.
Mr. Mark Pannell, Senior Advisor and the Director of Operations of the Office of Global Women’s Issues, U.S. Department of State, delivered the remarks on behalf of Ms. Rachel Vogelstein, Senior Advisor of the White House Gender Policy Council. In the speech he highlighted that last year the US and Kazakhstan emphasized their commitment to the women economic empowerment during the bilateral meeting in the framework of the Enhanced Strategic Partnership Dialogue. He praised the Kazakhstani reforms on promoting women’s rights in the past few years and expressed gratitude to the Government of Kazakhstan for active cooperation and partnership in this field.
During the panel session, speakers discussed the importance of providing training programs aimed at developing entrepreneurial skills and shared information with Forum participants on the Academy for Women Entrepreneurs program, for which from the South regions of Kazakhstan can now apply.
Acting Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, U.S. Department of State, Ms. Stacy White, acknowledged that to make the American Academy for Women Entrepreneurs a success, the State Department needs to have partners with the networks, resources, and know-how. That’s why the State Department is proud to partner with AIFC, the Coca-Cola Company, and Chevron Eurasia to support AWE and women’s economic empowerment.
Deputy of the Majilis of Kazakhstan, Ms. Lazzat Ramazanova, expressed her continued support to the initiatives which empower women. In particular she mentioned that there are many women role models in Kazakhstan in the areas of finance, energy, etc., and she hopes that the Academy will become a good platform for communicating with them. She also announced that the Regional women entrepreneurship development centers are ready to contribute to the work of the Academy.
Director of SABIT Program, U.S. Department of Commerce, Ms. Tracy Rollins, noted that the SABIT Program sees great potential in cooperation with AWE, and hopes that many new women entrepreneurs are created and encouraged through this partnership.
The session also was marked by Coca-Cola Kazakhstan and Chevron announcing their financial support for the Academy for Women Entrepreneurs program. In particular, Ms. Alexandra Akkirman, Regional Manager of Public Affairs, Communications and Sustainability, Coca-Cola Caucasus and Central Asia, announced support for the program in the form of grants from the Coca-Cola Caucasus and Central Asia in the equivalent of 1,000 US dollars for 10 participants who will demonstrate the best results.
General Manager of Strategy and Business performance at Chevron's Eurasia Business Unit, Ms. Gulzira Utetileova, mentioned that this event is a testament of the power of partnership, something Chevron strongly believes in. She also admitted that the company is committed to make the women of Kazakhstan more powerful and active in decision making processes.
In her remarks, Ms. Monique Widyono, Associate Director, Global Gender Equity Initiatives and the 2X Women’s Empowerment Program, U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), noted that DFC recognizes the critical role of women-led businesses in catalyzing growth and supporting economic stability across the globe. Through its 2X Women’s Initiative, and with the partners in the 2X Collaborative, DFC seeks to leverage the significant investment opportunities women represent, especially in emerging markets.
In general the session strongly contributed to strengthening of the US-Kazakhstan bilateral dialogue and demonstrated the effectiveness of joint work.
Reference:
The Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC) is an independent jurisdiction that started operations in 2018. In accordance with the Development Strategy until 2025, the key focus of the AIFC is to consolidate as a universal platform connecting the countries of the EAEU, Central Asia and the Caucasus. www.aifc.kz
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