A historical partnership agreement was signed on November 29, 2005, between the French-Speaking Community Business Forum (Forum Francophone des Affaires, FFA) represented by its President Steve Gentili and the World Association of Women Entrepreneurs (FCEM) represented by Françoise Foning FCEM World President at the Association of Mediators and Ombudsmen of the French-Speaking Communities in Paris 7, rue Saint-Florentin, 8th district.

This ceremony took place during the 4th Congress of the Association of Mediators and Ombudsmen of the French-Speaking Communities (Association des Ombudsmans et Médiateurs de la Francophonie, AOMF) entitled “Mediators: Interpreting Expectations, Driving Reform” and organised by Jean-Paul Delevoye, the National Ombudsman of France, in co-operation with Frédérique Calandra, Ombudsperson of the City of Paris, which was attended by over forty delegations from 30 countries, in addition to many French and foreign participants, academics, jurists, scientific experts and personalities, including a large delegation of FCEM Steering Committee members and women entrepreneurs from several continents.
 
The Congress, which took place November 28 to 30, 2005 at the National Assembly and Town Hall of Paris, was closed by the solemn ceremony of signing the partnership agreement between the President of FFA, Stève Gentili, and the new-elected FCEM World President, Françoise Foning, who, through this agreement, underline the sharing of common interests by the two associations.

At the end of the ceremony, Mr. Gentili and Ms Foning recognised that the “partnership signed between (their) two associations may be construed as the creation of an ideal and unique space for strengthening inter-association exchanges and best practices between FFA and FCEM”. This agreement offers to the members of their associations the possibility:
 
· To exchange business experiences, practices and ideas;
· To explore business opportunities;
· To start common changes;
· To facilitate the access to financing sources;
· To access new technologies and techniques;
· To become aware of different business cultures;
· To develop other international contacts and friendships;
· To reinforce communications between member States, in particular networking and NTIC accessibility.

The signature of this agreement fulfils an aspiration of Françoise Foning and the promise she made during the campaign that led to her election to the Presidency of FCEM: “…During my office, I undertake to develop a strategic partnership with some already identified organisations and institutions in order to further reinforce their support and action to the benefit of our association…”.

Wittily, Jean-Paul Delevoye, the National Ombudsman of France, defined this partnership as a love and interest match between FFA and FCEM, and thanked the new “couple” for the honour done to the Association of Mediators and Ombudsmen of the French-Speaking Communities and to himself, who was the witness to their wedding.

FFA, the French-Speaking Community Business Forum, is the only international economic organisation recognised as an official institution by the Summit of Heads of States and Governments sharing the French language. FFA was established in 1987 at the Summit held in Quebec (Canada).

The French-Speaking Community Business Forum, which acts on behalf of the private sector, is composed of national committees, one for each of the 55 countries, States or communities represented at the Summit of Heads of States and Governments.

The French-Speaking Community Business Forum also includes committees which are granted observer status in countries or regions that do not belong to the French-speaking area, but have an active French-speaking community.

These committees, which are national business communities, gather economic actors of all business sectors. They form the network of the French-Speaking Community Business Forum, take part in the exchange of information, especially business opportunities, organise and promote activities aimed at structuring business life.

The International Bureau of FFA represents the French-speaking private sector before international organisations (United Nations, World Bank, International Monetary Fund, European Commission, World Trade Organisation...), where it defends the specificity of French-speaking undertakings and their economic concepts, thus making their voice heard. Steve Gentili is the International President-in-charge of FFA, and  is as well the President of BRED - Banque Populaire (France).

Report by: Chef François Aby