The 2nd edition of the International Entrepreneurship Salon/AES will be held at the esplanade of the 26 Mars stadium in Bamako from November 18-21, 2026. The event was announced by Minister of Employment and Professional Training, Oumou Sall Seck, during a press conference. The salon is under the high patronage of the President of the Transition, General Assimi Goïta.
This year's theme is "Entrepreneurship at the Heart of Sovereignty and Economic Transformation: From Entrepreneurial Culture to Value Creation in the AES Space." The theme highlights the need to build sovereignty through the ability to undertake, produce, transform, innovate, and create value from local resources and competencies. The event aims to bring together entrepreneurs, project leaders, investors, private institutions, banks, incubators, training centers, universities, and professional organizations.
The salon will feature international delegations from countries including Guinea, Côte d'Ivoire, Morocco, Ghana, Rwanda, Senegal, Togo, Brazil, Tunisia, Germany, and China. The event will be based on six axes of the national entrepreneurship strategy: improving the business environment, developing skills, accessing markets, technology and innovation, financing, and awareness and networking.
The program will include conferences and panels dedicated to these axes, training and practical workshops, product exhibitions, and meetings between entrepreneurs and investors. A business plan competition targeting young people and women will also be held, along with cultural activities to promote exchanges and integration. The goal is to create a space where ideas meet, enrich each other, and transform into concrete projects.
Minister Oumou Sall Seck emphasized that the objective is to support the formalization of initiatives to create genuine companies capable of generating employment, added value, and new opportunities for a prosperous, sovereign, and open Mali. The event aims to promote entrepreneurship as a means of achieving economic sovereignty.
Economic sovereignty means valorizing local resources and competencies, developing regional and international value chains, conquering new markets, and establishing balanced partnerships. This vision is supported by the President of the Transition and will be concretized through this second edition of the International Entrepreneurship Salon.
The event is expected to provide a platform for entrepreneurs and investors to network, share ideas, and explore opportunities for collaboration and growth. With a focus on entrepreneurship and economic transformation, the salon aims to contribute to the development of a prosperous and sovereign economy in Mali and the AES region.
Key points
- The 2nd International Entrepreneurship Salon will focus on six axes of the national entrepreneurship strategy.
- The event will feature international delegations from over 10 countries.
- The salon aims to support the formalization of initiatives to create genuine companies capable of generating employment and added value.
