CWU Holds 2017 Seminar on Capacity Building for Female Officials from African Union

China Women's University (CWU) held an opening ceremony for the Seminar on Capacity Building for Female Officials from the African Union on September 6.

The event was co-sponsored by the Ministry of Commerce of the People's Republic of China (MOFCOM) and CWU. Song Wenyan, vice-minister of the International Liaison Department of the All-China Women's Federation (ACWF), He Shuwen, director of ACWF's Project Department, and CWU Vice-President Wang Jingxia participated in the gathering, which was presided over by Ye Shuiping, director of CWU's International Cooperation Department.

On behalf of the ACWF, Song expressed her congratulations and warmly welcomed 15 trainees from the African Union. The event is to fulfill President Xi Jinping's commitment at the 2015 UN Summit on Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment. It aims to strengthen women's communications between China and African Union's member countries. Women can share their achievements and experiences in promoting gender equality, their participation in social management and their empowerment in the economy and politics, said Song.

China and African nations enjoy a long history of traditional friendship. As the supreme political organization in Africa, the African Union and China have been keeping friendly exchanges and both sides share aspirations for deepening cooperation. It has offered China a lot of support on many issues over the years. China also provided assistance to those countries within its available resources, Song said.

The ACWF has established friendly relations with most women's organizations in African nations. Song asked the trainees to convey the ACWF's sincere greetings to their compatriots and hoped the friendly communication between China and other countries would continue consistently.

Wang warmly welcomed the trainees on behalf of CWU's teachers and students, and expressed her heartfelt thanks to ACWF and the International Business Official's Training Institute (IBOTI). She said, "As a university affiliated to ACWF and the first full-time women's university in China, CWU has many advantages in its academic mission, discipline construction, women and gender studies, and international exchanges."

Wang introduced the purpose and meaning of the seminar and hoped the training course could enrich female officials' professional knowledge, promote their capacity building, as well as contribute to promoting gender equality, women's education and women's development in China and relevant countries.

Muna Ahmed Abdallaelfaki, an officer from the African Leadership Academy (ALA), gave a lecture on behalf of all the trainees. She thanked the MOFCOM, the ACWF and CWU's contribution in training work. She introduced the ALA's efforts in training business backbones and improving students' professional skills and practical abilities.

The training courses enhanced the exchanges and friendship between the participating countries and China, set up a platform for further cooperation and laid a solid foundation for promoting international exchange and cooperation. The 20-day bilateral training project will end on September 25.

(Source: China Women's University/Translated and Edited by Gender Study Network)