Launch of OPIC 2X Africa and African Women’s Economic Empowerment Dialogue

Photo: U.S. Embassy, Ethiopia

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
April 15, 2019

Readout of Launch of OPIC 2X Africa and African Women’s Economic Empowerment Dialogue

Today, in front of women leaders and entrepreneurs at the UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) in Addis Ababa, Advisor to the President Ivanka Trump and Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) Acting President and CEO David Bohigian launched OPIC 2X Africa, a W-GDP initiative, which seeks to directly invest $350 million to help mobilize $1 billion in capital to support women-owned, women-led, and women-supporting projects in Sub-Saharan Africa. Launched in 2018, OPIC’s 2X Women’s Initiative has already invested more than $1 billion supporting women’s economic empowerment across the developing world. During the African Women’s Economic Empowerment Dialogue Ms. Trump hosted a roundtable discussion with Ethiopian President Sahle-Work Zewde, UNECA Deputy Executive Secretary, Ms. Giovanie Biha, and Mastercard Vice Chairman Ann Cairns. Mastercard supports the goals of W-GDP and the prioritization of women’s economic empowerment by catalyzing private sector investment.