Sun Mingxi, charge d'affaires at the Chinese Embassy in Ethiopia, speaks at the graduation ceremony of the Global Female Entrepreneurship Empowerment Program workshop (GFEEP) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Dec. 20, 2025. More than 60 Ethiopian female entrepreneurs have graduated from the China-supported GFEEP in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia's capital. During the two-week training workshop, participants attended classes focusing on strategic business thinking, digital literacy, modern business models, and key entrepreneurial skills. (Xinhua/Liu Fangqiang)

ADDIS ABABA, Dec. 21 (Xinhua) -- More than 60 Ethiopian female entrepreneurs have graduated from the China-supported Global Female Entrepreneurship Empowerment Program workshop (GFEEP) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia's capital.

During the two-week training workshop, participants attended classes focusing on strategic business thinking, digital literacy, modern business models, and key entrepreneurial skills.

Speaking at the graduation ceremony on Saturday, Sun Mingxi, charge d'affaires at the Chinese Embassy in Ethiopia, said the training workshop was a concrete capacity-building initiative under the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation Beijing Action Plan (2025-2027), aimed at empowering women and promoting gender equality in Africa.

"The training workshop reflects China's commitment to women's entrepreneurship empowerment, inclusive development, and the people-to-people exchange between China and Africa," Sun said.

Tsedeke Digafe, deputy secretary general of the Ethiopian Chamber of Commerce and Sectoral Associations, said the training workshop exemplifies the shared commitment of Ethiopia and China to advancing gender equality and realizing United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 5.

"Participating in the GFEEP workshop has been transformative for me as a female entrepreneur in Ethiopia's injera export business. The program equipped us with essential skills in business management, innovation, leadership, and systematic thinking," said Mulu Kemal, one of the workshop's participants.

"Before the program, my approach was intuitive and traditional. Now, it's structured, customer-focused, and growth-oriented," the businesswoman noted.

Appreciating the dedication and active participation of the female entrepreneurs, Wu Jiuyi, deputy general manager of China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) Ethiopia, emphasized the significance of the training in building a better future, creating better business opportunities, and inspiring communities.

"The training is more than sharing knowledge and experience. It is a commitment to promoting gender equality, economic inclusion, and accelerating sustainable development," said Wu, noting that empowering women means driving economic development.

The graduation ceremony also featured the signing of memoranda of understanding between 10 Ethiopian entrepreneurs and CCECC, aiming to create market linkages, as well as an exhibition of participants' products.

The GFEEP is a capacity-building initiative led by Beijing Foreign Studies University (BFSU) that targets female entrepreneurs from developing countries. The workshop in Ethiopia was organized by the BFSU in collaboration with CCECC Ethiopia. ■

Trainees attend the graduation ceremony of the Global Female Entrepreneurship Empowerment Program workshop (GFEEP) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Dec. 20, 2025.

More than 60 Ethiopian female entrepreneurs have graduated from the China-supported GFEEP in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia's capital.

During the two-week training workshop, participants attended classes focusing on strategic business thinking, digital literacy, modern business models, and key entrepreneurial skills. (Xinhua/Liu Fangqiang)