June 3, 2026
The official launch of the World Summit on the Empowerment of Women Farmers in the Countries of the Congo Basin was presented in Brussels on Tuesday, June 9, 2026, at 12:15 p.m., at the European Parliament. The initiative is led by the European Centre for Development, Studies and Geostrategic Analysis and the IPOMA Foundation. The press conference was organised by the S&D group and Member of the European Parliament Nikolas Farantouris. The meeting placed food security, climate justice and the role of women in rural economies at the centre of relations between Europe and Africa.
Brussels launch for an international summit
The official launch took place at the European Parliament in Brussels as the starting point for an international summit on capacity-building for women farmers in the countries of the Congo Basin. The organisers aim to create a political and institutional framework in which agriculture, gender equality, climate policy and economic resilience are addressed together. The European Centre for Development, Studies and Geostrategic Analysis and the IPOMA Foundation are working on sustainable cooperation between the European Union and the African continent, with a focus on inclusive development, climate justice and equality between women and men.
Patronage and political support
The summit is held under the high patronage of the President of the Republic of Congo. Belgian Minister of State André Flahaut is also actively involved as patron of the initiative. This gives the project a clear institutional dimension. The launch at the European Parliament was intended to present the strategic roadmap, the main thematic priorities and the international partnerships expected to lead to the future Brussels Declaration. That declaration is meant to serve as a reference point for further cooperation on women in agriculture, food security and climate policy in the Congo Basin.
Congo Basin as a key region
The Congo Basin is regarded as the planet’s second green lung. In this region, women farmers are a major force in rural economies. They play a central role in food supply, local markets and economic self-reliance. The summit starts from that reality and aims to strengthen their position through three main lines of work: financial empowerment and direct access to markets, technical training and skills development, and environmental innovation with attention to climate justice. The organisers therefore place women farmers at the centre of a broader strategy for food security and climate policy.
Programme of the press conference
The press conference began on Tuesday, June 9, 2026, at 12:15 p.m., with the reception of journalists and guests. Opening remarks followed at 12:30 p.m. The host was Nikolas Farantouris, a member of the S&D group in the European Parliament and professor of EU law at the University of Piraeus in Greece. The session was moderated by Lady Anne Gisèle Ngo Mang Epéssé, journalist. The meeting therefore had a journalistic, political and diplomatic character, bringing European and African representatives together around the same agenda.
Speakers and thematic focus
From 12:45 p.m., the main speakers addressed the role of women in resilient agriculture. The central theme was capacity-building and empowerment for women farmers in the Congo Basin. Dr Aicha Bacha, President of ECDA in Belgium, presented the capsules of ECDA and the IPOMA Foundation. Minister of State André Flahaut took part as patron of the summit. H.E. Arlette Soudan-Nonault, Minister of Environment, Sustainable Development and Climate Economy of the Republic of Congo, brought the climate policy and ecological dimension of the Congo Basin into the discussion. H.E. Josefa Leonel Correia Sacko, African Union Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy and Sustainable Environment, placed the initiative within a broader African agricultural and environmental framework. H.E. Marie-Noëlle Koyara, Global Chair of G100 and former Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development of the Central African Republic, contributed experience on agricultural policy and the position of women at senior level. Mohamed Boussalla, sustainability expert and CEO of Bee Sentinel in Morocco, was announced as a speaker on sustainability, carbon accounting and environmental compliance.
From press event to Brussels Declaration
The Brussels launch is intended as the first step in a process leading to the future Brussels Declaration. This declaration is expected to set out shared priorities on women in agriculture, food security, economic self-reliance, climate resilience and international cooperation. The focus is on concrete levers for women in the Congo Basin: access to finance, stronger market access, training, technical knowledge, environmental innovation and recognition of their economic role in rural areas.
Access and accreditation
Access to the press conference required prior registration because of the security measures at the European Parliament. The exact room was communicated to confirmed participants. The practical details placed the meeting clearly within the framework of an official European press event: a launch conference on Tuesday, June 9, 2026, at 12:15 p.m., at the European Parliament in Brussels.
Sources:
ECDA press release
IPOMA Foundation
European Parliament
S&D group
Member of the European Parliament Nikolas Farantouris
Andy Vermaut +32499357495