South African Deputy President Paul Mashatile made the appeal at the Global Entrepreneurship Congress Africa (GEC+Africa) taking place in Cape Town, the legislative capital of South Africa, from Wednesday to Thursday.<\/p>\n
GEC+Africa is a gathering of entrepreneurs and leaders from more than 50 African nations committed to advancing entrepreneurial activity throughout their own countries.<\/p>\n
Hosted by the South African Department of Small Business Development, the two-day event is attended by more than 1,500 delegates, including representatives of small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs), investors, policymakers and representatives of organizations.<\/p>\n
While delivering the keynote address, Mashatile said the congress came at the right time for Africa.<\/p>\n
“This GEC+ Africa congress is timely and extremely important given the current global economic situation, especially the African continent’s continued efforts to reinvent itself as a more influential actor in shaping the global agenda,” he said.<\/p>\n
The deputy president noted that Africa is a continent overflowing with untapped potential, a hub of innovation and invention waiting to be reawakened.<\/p>\n
“As a continent, we need to rise to a level where we have well-integrated production networks, are equally participating in global trade, and are rapidly improving our export mix,” said Marshatile.<\/p>\n
“As policymakers, we have to create an enabling environment for our entrepreneurs,” he stressed. “It is critical that as policymakers, we create a more supportive policy environment.”<\/p>\n
Marshatile suggested that leaders should ensure that the core foundations of the digital economy are in place, including digital infrastructure, digital skills, cybersecurity capabilities, and affordable and accessible data.<\/p>\n
He also called for the elimination of red tape to facilitate cross-border trade for African entrepreneurs.<\/p>\n
The deputy president also emphasized the need to enhance governance systems, such as combating corruption, improving macroeconomic management, and resolving disputes through negotiation rather than violent conflict.<\/p>\n
“This event should serve as a call to action for this generation of African leaders to do the work and leave a lasting legacy of economic growth, regional integration and overall African prosperity,” he added.<\/p>\n
South African Minister for Small Business Development Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams also addressed the gathering, calling on governments to create enabling policy frameworks to effectively support entrepreneurship on the continent.<\/p>\n
“Besides making policy, governments must lead and direct their respective entrepreneurship eco-systems,” said Ndabeni-Abrahams. “To effectively co-ordinate the eco-system, the government must also provide strategic leadership.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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