PRESS RELEASE

February 18, 2021

AFRICA – FRANCE SUMMIT 2020 - 2021: a grim record for the Winners of the
Challenge des 1000. Call on the Élysée to honor its commitments.

On June 05, 2020, Ms. Stéphanie RIVOAL, Secretary General of the Africa - France
Summit announced to the Laureates their selection among the 1000 African
Entrepreneurs invited to the Summit at the end of the Challenge des 1000, a competition
coordinated since 2019 by Digital Africa (partner of the Summit). Followed by a
triumphant media campaign relayed by almost all the media in the world and the French
Embassies. The email from the Summit Secretariat promised to the Laureates the
following:“the winners, including you, will benefit from a dedicated support program
allowing them to have access to funding, training and networking, as well as visibility
for their projects. This program will draw on a network of French and African partners,
notably through mentoring, networking, scholarships, public and private funding”.

Before the Summit Secretariat's announcement, a press release from the Elysee (April 2,
2020) announced the postponement of the 2020 Summit due to the Covid19 pandemic.
Adapting to the context, Digital Africa had organized the Resilient Summer School, a
series of online masterclasses for the Laureates in July and August 2020. Then, at the
beginning of 2021, the organization of the Africa-France Summit 2021 via a press
release decided to cancel the participation of the Winners of the Challenge des 1000 at
the 2021 Summit. While it was specified by The Elysee that the event was rescheduled
for 2021 (not cancelled) with the participation of the Winners of the challenge des 1000.

And today, despite several repetitive correspondence from us, sent to the organizers of
the Summit and their partners to have clarifications and more details regarding the rest
of the program, but also to request the fulfillment of their promises in favor of the
Laureates of the Challenge des 1000, until the writing of this press release, we have not
received any response. Situation interpreted by the winners as a total lack of
consideration and contempt of the organizers vis-à-vis African entrepreneurs.

The Winners of the Challenge des 1000 do not tolerate that their profiles, projects and
businesses have been abused by the Africa-France Summit to promote the organization
of the Summit and obtain funds, and that in the end these same selected African
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Pour les Lauréats du Challenge des 1000
Tel : +33 615 139 801,
E-mail : lauréatschallengedes1000@gmail.com
Entrepreneurs are excluded from the continuation without any explanation. For this
reason, the Winners of the Challenge des 1000 demand:

"The effective and immediate materialization of the Africa-France Summit promises in

their favor".

For the Laureates:

MBOMBO MESSINA (Togo)

Béni NKOMERWA (DR Congo)
RIBEIRO TENGUNA (Angola)
Victoria (Namibia)
...

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Pour les Lauréats du Challenge des 1000
Tel : +33 615 139 801,
E-mail : lauréatschallengedes1000@gmail.com