Johannesburg has been chosen to host the Global Entrepreneurship Congress (GEC) in March 2017 – a first for Africa – that will bring together entrepreneurs, investors, researchers and policymakers to foster entrepreneurship worldwide as a tool for development.

This was officially announced at the launch of the GEC 2017, in Sandton, on Tuesday.

The GEC was aimed at mapping out entrepreneurial ecosystems, sharing new developments in start-up financing, connecting entrepreneurs to the best resources and networks and identifying emerging entrepreneurial hotspots and global expansion of the producer movement. 

The GEC was initiated by the Global Entrepreneurship Network (GEN) – a year-round platform of programmes and initiatives created by communities that celebrate Global Entrepreneurship Week every November.

Speaking at the launch, City of Johannesburg economic development MMC Ruby Mathang said that, by hosting the GEC 2017, South Africa would have the opportunity to showcase its entrepreneurial capacity to the world.

“South Africa will also get to show, yet again, why it is the leading host city of world congresses and business leaders. Johannesburg has world-class infrastructure to support hosting a world congress and its guests,” he said.

A partnership between the Department of Small Business Development, the City of Johannesburg, banking and financial services company Barclays Africa and research and development firm Sustainable Entrepreneur Accelerator (SEA) Africa secured the bid to host the congress.

Johannesburg will co-host the event with SEA Africa as the local member and host of the GEN.

At least 5 000 people from 157 countries were expected to attend the congress.

SEA Africa executive head Kizito Okechukwu said the GEC would assist businesses and promote entrepreneurship across the African continent.

“We are, therefore, calling on entrepreneurs to leverage from various support structures and programmes being introduced by various partners. We are expecting leading global entrepreneurs and innovators to grace this occasion,” he said.

Small Business Development Minister Lindiwe Zulu said government was certain that the GEC 2017 would help sustain momentum in bringing about an entrepreneurial revolution, which was signalled when President Jacob Zuma announced the establishment of the portfolio last year.

“I am confident that GEC 2017 will further thrust entrepreneurship and small business development firmly on the national agenda and into the collective consciousness of our nation. Our government has placed small businesses and cooperatives at the centre stage of our national effort to banish poverty and reduce inequality,” she said.

Her department was determined to collaborate with all stakeholders to ensure that the GEC was a success and that it benefited entrepreneurs in South Africa and across the African continent, she added.

Okechukwu said winning the bid was a testament to the successful collaboration between the public and private sectors, which, he emphasised, was vital to building sustainable ecosystems for entrepreneurial growth in Africa.

In the build-up to the event, Barclays was planning several activities that support entrepreneurship on the continent. The activities would create a platform for African entrepreneurs to engage, participate, benefit and be supported in their businesses.