{"id":1465,"date":"2025-03-16T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-03-15T23:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hawkar.tn\/?p=1465"},"modified":"2025-07-15T12:47:59","modified_gmt":"2025-07-15T11:47:59","slug":"hawkar-un-africa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hawkar.tn\/index.php\/2025\/03\/16\/hawkar-un-africa\/","title":{"rendered":"HawKar CEO at Historic UNECA Conference"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><strong>Our CEO, Khadija Jallouli, at the United Nations Economic Comission for Africa (UNECA):<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\">Advocating for inclusive entrepreneurship &amp; disability-inclusive economic growth at the 2025 Conference of African Ministers of Finance, Planning &amp; Economic Development<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\">On March 15, 2025, Khadija Jallouli, CEO of HawKar, had the distinguished honor of representing young entrepreneurs at the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) during the 57th Conference of African Ministers of Finance, Planning &amp; Economic Development in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. This landmark conference, themed &#8220;Advancing the implementation of the Agreement Establishing the African Continental Free Trade Area: Proposing transformative strategic actions&#8221;, brought together African leaders, policymakers &amp; youth advocates to chart the continent&#8217;s economic future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-video\"><video controls src=\"https:\/\/hawkar.tn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/WhatsApp-Video-2025-03-30-at-08.39.01.mp4\"><\/video><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><strong>A Platform for Youth Leadership<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\">At the youth-focused side event, CEO Jallouli delivered a compelling presentation on &#8220;The Role of Youth in the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Agenda: Opportunities &amp; Challenges.&#8221; Her participation alongside distinguished panelists from across the continent underscored the critical importance of youth voices in shaping Africa&#8217;s economic transformation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\">The conference took place at a pivotal moment for African economic integration, as ECA Executive Secretary Claver Gatete described the AfCFTA as &#8220;Africa&#8217;s master plan for economic renewal&#8221;, the event emphasized the urgent need for comprehensive strategies to unlock the continent&#8217;s economic potential through the world&#8217;s largest free trade area since the World Trade Organization&#8217;s establishment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" data-id=\"1684\" src=\"https:\/\/hawkar.tn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/WhatsApp-Image-2025-03-30-at-08.39.32-1-1024x682.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1684\" srcset=\"https:\/\/hawkar.tn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/WhatsApp-Image-2025-03-30-at-08.39.32-1-1024x682.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/hawkar.tn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/WhatsApp-Image-2025-03-30-at-08.39.32-1-300x200.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/hawkar.tn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/WhatsApp-Image-2025-03-30-at-08.39.32-1-768x512.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/hawkar.tn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/WhatsApp-Image-2025-03-30-at-08.39.32-1-1536x1024.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/hawkar.tn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/WhatsApp-Image-2025-03-30-at-08.39.32-1-2048x1365.jpeg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" data-id=\"1682\" src=\"https:\/\/hawkar.tn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/WhatsApp-Image-2025-03-30-at-08.39.32-2-1024x682.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1682\" srcset=\"https:\/\/hawkar.tn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/WhatsApp-Image-2025-03-30-at-08.39.32-2-1024x682.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/hawkar.tn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/WhatsApp-Image-2025-03-30-at-08.39.32-2-300x200.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/hawkar.tn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/WhatsApp-Image-2025-03-30-at-08.39.32-2-768x512.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/hawkar.tn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/WhatsApp-Image-2025-03-30-at-08.39.32-2-1536x1024.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/hawkar.tn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/WhatsApp-Image-2025-03-30-at-08.39.32-2-2048x1365.jpeg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" data-id=\"1683\" src=\"https:\/\/hawkar.tn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/WhatsApp-Image-2025-03-30-at-08.39.32-1024x682.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1683\" srcset=\"https:\/\/hawkar.tn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/WhatsApp-Image-2025-03-30-at-08.39.32-1024x682.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/hawkar.tn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/WhatsApp-Image-2025-03-30-at-08.39.32-300x200.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/hawkar.tn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/WhatsApp-Image-2025-03-30-at-08.39.32-768x512.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/hawkar.tn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/WhatsApp-Image-2025-03-30-at-08.39.32-1536x1024.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/hawkar.tn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/WhatsApp-Image-2025-03-30-at-08.39.32-2048x1365.jpeg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" data-id=\"1680\" src=\"https:\/\/hawkar.tn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/WhatsApp-Image-2025-03-30-at-08.39.34-2-1024x576.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1680\" srcset=\"https:\/\/hawkar.tn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/WhatsApp-Image-2025-03-30-at-08.39.34-2-1024x576.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/hawkar.tn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/WhatsApp-Image-2025-03-30-at-08.39.34-2-300x169.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/hawkar.tn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/WhatsApp-Image-2025-03-30-at-08.39.34-2-768x432.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/hawkar.tn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/WhatsApp-Image-2025-03-30-at-08.39.34-2.jpeg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" data-id=\"1681\" src=\"https:\/\/hawkar.tn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/WhatsApp-Image-2025-03-30-at-08.39.37-1024x576.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1681\" srcset=\"https:\/\/hawkar.tn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/WhatsApp-Image-2025-03-30-at-08.39.37-1024x576.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/hawkar.tn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/WhatsApp-Image-2025-03-30-at-08.39.37-300x169.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/hawkar.tn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/WhatsApp-Image-2025-03-30-at-08.39.37-768x432.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/hawkar.tn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/WhatsApp-Image-2025-03-30-at-08.39.37-1536x864.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/hawkar.tn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/WhatsApp-Image-2025-03-30-at-08.39.37.jpeg 1599w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><strong>Championing Inclusiv<\/strong>ity<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\">During her presentation, Jallouli emphasized the transformative potential of young entrepreneurs, particularly those with disabilities, to leverage the AfCFTA&#8217;s opportunities for creating innovative &amp; inclusive solutions. With the AfCFTA&#8217;s projected market size of 1.3 billion people, she highlighted how this vast economic space could become a catalyst for disability-inclusive entrepreneurship across the continent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\">The HawKar CEO&#8217;s advocacy aligned perfectly with the conference&#8217;s broader goals. As AfCFTA Secretariat Secretary General Wamkele Mene noted, &#8220;The priority for the African Continental Free Trade Area is full implementation of the initiative as Africa reaches for greater resilience, economic diversification &amp; self-sufficiency&#8221;, Jallouli&#8217;s focus on inclusion ensures that this vision encompasses all of Africa&#8217;s youth, regardless of ability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-5 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><strong>Addressing Systemic Barriers<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left\">In her presentation, Jallouli outlined critical structural changes needed to support African youth entrepreneurship &amp; emphasized the importance of:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Simplifying trade procedures<\/strong> to reduce bureaucratic barriers that disproportionately affect small-scale entrepreneurs<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Ensuring transparent digital platforms<\/strong> that make trade processes accessible to all, including entrepreneurs with disabilities<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Establishing accessible export insurance schemes<\/strong> that provide financial security for young businesses venturing into continental markets<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><strong>Targeted Solutions for Entrepreneurs with Disabilities<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Jallouli drew particular attention to the specific challenges faced by entrepreneurs with disabilities, advocating for tailored policy measures including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Preferential tariffs<\/strong> that recognize the additional barriers faced by disability-led businesses<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Improved data collection<\/strong> to better understand and serve this often-marginalized entrepreneurial segment<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Accessible infrastructure<\/strong> that enables full participation in the continental economy<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\">These recommendations addressed a critical gap in current AfCFTA implementation strategies, ensuring that the continent&#8217;s economic transformation is truly inclusive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><strong>Strategic Timing &amp; Global Context<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\">The conference&#8217;s timing was particularly significant. As noted by Riyad Mezzour, Chair of the Bureau of African Ministers of Finance and Economic Planning, &#8220;Implementing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is not a one-time event but a comprehensive and ongoing process that requires patience, tact &amp; strategic planning&#8221;. Jallouli&#8217;s participation ensured that youth perspectives, especially those of entrepreneurs with disabilities, were integral to this ongoing process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><strong>Strengthening HawKar&#8217;s Continental Impact<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\">This high-profile participation reinforces HawKar&#8217;s position as a leading advocate for inclusive entrepreneurship in Africa. The company&#8217;s representation at such a prestigious forum demonstrates its commitment to promoting an accessible African economy where all youth can contribute meaningfully to continental growth &amp; innovation.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Our CEO, Khadija Jallouli, at the United Nations Economic Comission for Africa (UNECA): Advocating for inclusive entrepreneurship &amp; disability-inclusive economic growth at the 2025 Conference of African Ministers of Finance, Planning &amp; Economic Development On March 15, 2025, Khadija Jallouli, CEO of HawKar, had the distinguished honor of representing young entrepreneurs at the United Nations [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1682,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/hawkar.tn\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1465"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/hawkar.tn\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/hawkar.tn\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hawkar.tn\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hawkar.tn\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1465"}],"version-history":[{"count":16,"href":"https:\/\/hawkar.tn\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1465\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1755,"href":"https:\/\/hawkar.tn\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1465\/revisions\/1755"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hawkar.tn\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1682"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/hawkar.tn\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1465"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hawkar.tn\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1465"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hawkar.tn\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1465"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}