María Helena de Felipe, President of AFAEMME and Vice-President of the External Relations Section of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), participated in the Women Business Forum 2025, held in Palermo and organised by the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM). She joined Thanaa AlKhasawneh, Ayah El-Arief and Abir Chebaro in a session moderated by Neila Amara (UNIDO).

De Felipe used the occasion to reaffirm the vital importance of strengthening women-led business networks as a tool for empowerment, capacity-building and long-term economic growth across the Mediterranean. Representing AFAEMME—a confederation of 65 businesswomen’s organisations in 23 countries—she underscored the key role that these organisations play in facilitating access to international projects and funding mechanisms.

One of the most recent examples she cited was the WomenTechEU programme, funded by the European Commission, which supports women-led deeptech startups. Through this initiative, more than 300 women entrepreneurs have received €75,000 each in financial support, along with access to mentoring and direct contact with investors.

“Several women-owned enterprises are well-positioned to enhance national prosperity and economic development. We must continue building ecosystems that allow them to access finance, scale their projects and create long-term impact,” said De Felipe during her intervention.

The Women Business Forum 2025 focused on financial inclusion, investment readiness, and strategic partnerships, bringing together policymakers, financial institutions and business leaders to explore scalable solutions for women entrepreneurs in the MENA region.

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