As a follow-up meeting of the study visit to India, meeting was organized by the Center for Accelerated Women’s Economic Empowerment (CAWEE), where CAWEE members, that were part of the study visit, met H.E. Anurag Srivastava, Ambassador of India to Ethiopia, Djibouti and the African Union.

The study visit to India on Gemstones and Jewellery was organized in collaboration with the Office of the First Lady of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (FDRE), the Embassy of India in Ethiopia, CAWEE and the concerned ones in India. The study visit lasted for four working days, October 11-14, 2017 and it was fully sponsored by the generous support of the Government of India.

The delegation members consisted of twelve (12) participants: the Office Manger from the Office of the First Lady of the FDRE (who led the delegation), the Executive Director of CAWEE (who organized the study visit on the Ethiopian side and assisted in leading the delegation) and two more additional staff of CAWEE. The delegation further consisted of five women owned and managed Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) involved in the production of jewellery using semi-processed gemstones, two concerned Government officials: from Amhara Region (Vice Dean, Baherdar Ploitechnique College) and Tigray Region (Office Head, Micro and Small Enterprises Development Office) that were partners in the implementation of the Economic Empowerment Project of the Office of the First Lady of Ethiopia and one lead trainer and owner of a Lapidary Arts Training Center.

After the completion of the study visit, CAWEE presented complied report to the Indian Embassy and all the concerned ones, stating its recommendations for the way forward. In this respect, one of the recommendations mentioned was getting the opportunity of short term training to 10-12 CAWEE members, SMEs involved in gemstones and jewelry to get the opportunity to learn the skills of designing and manufacturing (which this time they are producing with no formal skills) in organizing tailor-made trainings in the Indian Institute of Gems & Jewellery in New Delhi. Thus, the meeting with the Ambassador of India, that took place at the Embassy on March 7, 2019, focused on this particular recommendation.

The Ambassador has explained that, the Government of India will be willing to support the request in organizing the requested skills training in New Delhi, where in the meeting, the companies present appreciated the continued support of the Embassy and expressed their readiness to cost share in taking part at the mentioned training.