Centre for Supporting Women Entrepreneurs to Open in Russia - 16 September, 2002

Within the next year a Centre for Supporting Women in Business will begin work in Russia, Olga Prigozhaya, the treasurer of the Women and Business association, told journalists today. According to Prigozhaya, the centre's main task will be to provide information, including 'explaining Russian laws to new female entrepreneurs'.

She also said that St. Petersburg's Industry and Construction Bank and Sberbank have provisionally agreed to provide support for the development of small and medium-sized female-run business. In addition, Women and Business's Finnish and Italian partners will provide financial support for the centre.

A timetable for founding the centre and for its work will be one of the main topics of discussion at the World Congress of Women Entrepreneurs, which is taking place in St. Petersburg. On September 16 and 17, round-table discussions will be held within the framework of the congress on the problems of foreign investment in the Russian economy, the development of tourism and government support for business. The official opening of the congress will take place on Wednesday, September 18. Over 500 people from 61 countries are taking part in the event.