advisory mission to CNPM

From 2-4 August 2010 Bram Van Overbeeke visited the Conseil National du Patronat du Mali (CNPM) in Bamako (Mali) at the occasion of the inauguration of the new CNPM headquarters. The inauguration ceremony was attended by the president of Mali, quite a few cabinet ministers and many other dignitaries, thereby recognising the importance they attach to the private sector in general and the CNPM’s position as the voice of business in particular.  

The CNPM had also organised a seminar to “...discuss strategies and development perspectives for West-Africa’s private sector 50 years after independence.....”. This turned out to be a useful regional initiative by the CNPM to the extent that the 8 West African employers’ orga-nisations present succeeded in drafting a 
“road-map” with the objective of enhancing the role and position of the ‘Fédération des Organisations Patronales de l’Afrique de l’Ouest (FOPAO)’ as their main instrument to represent their views vis-à-vis the Union Economique et Monetaire Ouest Africaine (UEMOA).  

The visit also included further consultations between DECP and the CNPM on future cooperation. CNPM will formulate proposals, including possible assistance to the CNPM’s women entrepreneurs.