Celebration of International Women’s Day March 8 organized by the French Minister of Cooperation, Paris France. FCEM World President Françoise Foning participated as an honored guest and speaker at the Round Table debates on the Contribution of Women to Development" organized at Bridgette Girardin, Minister of Cooperation held under the honored presidency of Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf President of Liberia. Among the estimated over 200 invitees special guests and speakers were women ambassadors to France from Kenya, Ethiopia, South Africa and Mozambique. FCEM members participating included Colette Schreiber and Micheline Briclet. The FCEM World President speech addressed the theme « Women and Enterprise» and in particular in terms of micro-finance as a factor for reducing poverty. The World President reminded that in addition to micro-credit, that focus should also be placed on instruments for the creation and expansion of SME. The event offered FCEM the opportunity to reinforce its relations with the president of the French Employers Union MEDEF, Laurence Parisot, who reiterated her support for the new FCEM World President and with Danielle Rousseau, President of the French businesswomen and managers association Dirigeantes. President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, has requested FCEM’s assistance for the creation of a national association of women entrepreneurs in Liberia. World President Françoise Foning will be following up with the Minister of Cooperation who has voiced her wish to strengthen relations with the FCEM.