FEMCOM Secretariat

Vision

Be recognized for effective promotion of women in business interests worldwide

Mission

To develop, promote, encourage and serve women in business with COMESA strategic partners

Federation of National Associations of Women in Business in Eastern and Southern Africa (FEMCOM) is a COMESA institution, established in July 1993 under Article 155 of the COMESA Treaty. FEMCOM has national chapters in all the 19 COMESA region countries namely: Burundi, Comoros, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Djibouti, Egypt, ,Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Rwanda, Seychelles, Sudan, Swaziland, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

The main objectives of FEMCOM is to promote programmes that integrate women into trade and development activities in the region, in particular, in the fields of agriculture, industry, trade, services, fishing, mining, energy, transport, communications and natural resources. FEMCOM was founded on the idea to promote programmes that integrate women into trade and development activities in Eastern and Southern Africa AND to act as a link between women and COMESA Policy organs and international organisations that promote trade and development. FEMCOM interim Secretariat was nested within the Women in Business Unit (now the Gender and Social Affairs Division) at the COMESA Secretariat until 2009.

FEMCOM Secretariat commenced its operations in Lilongwe, Malawi in May, 2009; and has intensified its efforts to collaborate with its national chapters and related private sector/Cross boarder associations to promote the participation of women in various business endeavours. Its main aim is to work at all levels to enforce policies and practices that promote gender equality and empowerment of women in line with the MDG goal No. 3