World Summit Launches Empowerment of Congo Basin Women Farmers

A World Summit for the Empowerment of Women Farmers in the Congo Basin has been officially launched in Brussels.

The high-level conference was organised under the auspices of the European – African Alliance by the European Centre for Development Studies and Geostrategic Analysis (ECDA) and the IPOMA Foundation at the European Parliament for Food Security and Climate Justice.

To mark the launch of the major international event a press conference was held Tuesday, June 9, 2026,at the European Parliament in Brussels, organized by the Socialist Group (Sand D) and a Member of the European Parliament Nikolas Farantouris.

In what is seen as a Major Diplomatic and Strategic Crossroads Between Europe and Africa the summit was organised under the High Patronage of His Excellency the President of the Republic of Congo and supported by the active sponsorship of Belgian Minister of State André Flahaut.

The press conference brought together an exceptional panel of political leaders, diplomatic delegations, and leading figures from international civil society.

The objective of the meeting with the media was to unveil strategic roadmap with the main areas of focus being international partnerships that will lead to signing of the future Brussels Declaration.

Opening remarks were made by Host Mr. Nikolaos Farantouris (S&D), Member of the European Parliament and Professor of EU Law at the University of Piraeus (Greece), and moderated by Lady Anne Gisèle Ngo.

The theme of the conference was “Women’s Empowerment at the Heart of Resilient Agriculture: Capacity Building and Empowerment Program for Women Farmers in the Congo Basin”.

Dr. Aicha Bacha, President of ECDA (Belgium) – delivered Presentation of ECDA and IPOMA Foundation projects.

The Minister of State,also former Minister of Defense and former President of the Belgian Chamber of Representatives (Summit Patron), H.E. André Flahaut also spoke..

Others present were Minister of the Environment, Sustainable Development and Climate Economy of the Republic of Congo, H.E. Arlette Soudan-Nonault, African Union Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development, the Blue Economy and Sustainable Environment, H.E. Josefa Leonel Correia Sacko.

The conference was addressed by the Global Chair of the G100 and former Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development of the Central African Republic H.E. Marie-Noëlle Koyara, Sustainability Expert, CEO of Bee Sentinel (Morocco), and leader of structuring projects in carbon accounting and environmental compliance, Mr. Mohamed Boussalla.

Women Farmers: Key Players in the Planet’s Second Green Lung

The Congo Basin is the world’s second largest ecological lung. In this crucial region, women farmers are the driving force of the rural economy and the essential pillar of food security and economic sovereignty.

But faced with the urgency of climate change, the Summit aimed to accelerate their transition to resilient agriculture through three major levers,that include Financial empowerment and direct access to markets, Technical training and skills development plus Environmental innovation and climate justice.

The European Centre for Development Studies and Geostrategic Analysis(ECDA) and the IPOMA Foundation work together to build sustainable bridges of international cooperation between the European Union and the African continent. Their work places inclusive development, climate justice, and gender equality at the heart of modern geopolitical strategies.