The Global Entrepreneurship Network announced today that South Africa has earned the right to host the Global Entrepreneurship Congress (GEC) in 2017.
This announcement came during the opening ceremony at the GEC event held in Milan, Italy.
Lindiwe Zulu, South Africa’s Minister of Small Business Development who received the bid on behalf of his country, in turn praised the efforts of all bid partners, which were instrumental as a team to ensure that the bid came to South Africa.
“This is a great opportunity for South Africa and Africa as a continent to showcase its entrepreneurial prowess to the world. The GEC is a platform that would open doors for our youth, ignite entrepreneurship and put our youth in the global arena” said the Minister.
The Global Entrepreneurship Congress (GEC) is an interdisciplinary gathering of start-up champions from over 150 countries and attracts more than 4000 international delegates. The delegates from various sector offers significant economic benefits to help entrepreneurs.
“The Global Entrepreneurship Network continues to expand its involvement in Africa in support of helping the next generation of entrepreneurs there to rebrand the continent and permanently shift perceptions,” said Jonathan Ortmans, President of the Global Entrepreneurship Network.
This success for South Africa is said to have come as a result of their partnership between the City’s Convention Bureau and major bid partner, SEA Africa, a research and development firm that supports business in various African markets. They are also a major player in the annual Global Entrepreneurship Week in South Africa.
“This is indeed an honour and also an opportunity to entrench the City of Johannesburg’s objectives to encourage entrepreneurship in order to stimulate economic growth and create jobs, while also emphasising Joburg’s credentials as a leading business events destination, capable of hosting such important global meetings,” says Councillor Ruby Mathang, MMC for the City’s Department of Economic Development.
The Congress has previously been held in the United States, UAE, China, UK, Brazil, Russia and Italy. South Africa is proudly the next in line and the first African country to host the event.
