African Women Diplomatic Group, whose members include the spouses of the African ambassadors to Qatar and other women in the diplomatic field, is on a mission to forge sisterly bonds and develop meaningful connections with Qatari women here. The group also seeks to present Africa’s rich diversity and creativity to the table.
Home to about 1.2 billion consumers today, Africa is one of the world’s fastest-growing consumer markets, which is predicted to have around $3.5 trillion of business opportunities by 2025. Entrepreneurs from across the world are also seen coming to Qatar to establish their operations here with a springboard perspective to expand to the African market.
While African ambassadors are busy with trade deals and business and diplomatic talks, their spouses are also equally active in building cultural bridges and cultivating friendly relations with the women in Qatar.
In an interview with Qatar Tribune, Therese Karitanyi, spouse of the Rwandan Ambassador to Qatar HE Igor Marara , and the current president of the Africa Women Diplomatic Group, said that promoting tourism in Africa was also front and centre during the group’s various events.
“We actually try to create an environment of exchange, of conversation. We think it’s important to engage with Qatari women, and in exchange, we learn about Qatar and the Qatari culture, and then we do the same and they learn about Africa. We share culture, food, and different things and just build a bond. It’s like a sisterhood. It’s kind of just bringing Africa to the table. We’re making sure that we highlight some of the things that Africa has to offer and make sure that it’s part of the conversation,” said Karitanyi.
She added that building connections and meaningful relationships are what motivates the group members the most.
Speaking about the relations between African women and Qatari women, she said: “What we want to promote mostly is friendship, it’s connection, it’s relationship. And from there whatever can happen will happen. I think that’s one of the main things that makes this group sort of unique. It’s about making people at ease. And in that sense, the relationship has been great. We have a number of women in attendance at the events. It’s also fun. People get to enjoy a variety of different cultures and things that will be hard to see elsewhere.
“And also, it’s a celebration of sisterhood. At the end of the day, we’re people, we have similar concerns in life. We are worried about similar things. And the other thing that’s really interesting is sometimes we realize how similar cultures actually are. Especially with the food. Again, it’s those kinds of bonds that make people just really realize that we’re one global community. And the more we understand each other, the better it is for everyone,” Karitanyi added.
The group recently organised an all-women’s function to celebrate Africa Day and the 60th anniversary of the Organization of African Union (OAU), which was later replaced by the African Union in 2002.
During the event, the group issued an official invitation for the guests to visit and experience the beauty and hospitality of Africa, where members will also help in the facilitation of the tours.Karitanyi said: “I think we have a very unique opportunity as a group to promote tourism in Africa. Because you only ever go to places you trust. And trust begins by having conversations with people. We can help people feel more at ease in visiting the continent.
“Because sometimes Africa feels like it’s a very faraway place, that’s hard to actually imagine that you can actually go to, or what would you find there. So giving people more context, more information, and just making it more accessible I think is really a big function that we can help with.
“Put some faces to these places. Africa is so underrated for vacation. We have many places with beautiful beaches which are not known. So being able to showcase some of these places, and also make it more friendly.”
And it’s the same philosophy in business as well. People do business with people they can connect with, noted Karitanyi.
She said: “Africa has so much to offer, it’s only the beginning I think. We have a lot of work to do ahead of ourselves, educate ourselves and the world on what the possibilities are.
“Even for people doing business in Qatar, after all, everyone in Doha is looking for opportunities, either for expansion or exports. We have so many things that Africa can offer as a source. But also, Africa is a big consumer market too. So there are real opportunities to build more exchange.
“But again, the journey of a thousand miles begins with one step. First, you have to understand that these places exist. That there are places in the African continent where you can go and have fun and come back.
“So we see it as a long-term journey. And of course, our husbands here are Ambassadors representing their States, but a lot of this work by the group also supports their work. It gives us an opportunity to share a different aspect that’s less formal as well as less official, but also very powerful I think. Women make good decisions not only in their homes but everywhere,” added Karitanyi.
The recent event which was attended by women from various communities in Doha, featured an expo of African art, music, technology, and innovation. Guests were treated to a showcase of African culture and cuisine, which ended with a journey through media, music, and dance across Africa, from Lake Assal to Mount Kilimanjaro, highlighting the natural wonders and landmarks of the continent.
The Africa Women Diplomatic Group has also previously partnered with the Qur’anic Botanic Garden to open the African Women’s Diplomatic Garden which showcases trees that grow in African countries.
“One of the questions I know a lot of people were surprised during our recent event was ‘What’s the most spoken language in Africa?’ and a lot of people got it wrong. It’s Arabic actually. If you look at all the countries in the north of Africa, there’s a big Arabic-speaking population. It’s the same in terms of religion, there’s a lot of Muslims in Africa, all across the board. People might actually be surprised to know that cultures will be different. But in the end, people will still be able to connect quite easily actually,” said Karitanyi.
She concluded: “We invite our sisters in Qatar to connect with us. And just see where we go from there. First, let us connect and enjoy each other’s company, learn about each other’s culture, and have a good time. And from there, anything else can happen.”
