8 JULY2026W MAN LEADERGLOBAL W MAN LEADERGLOBAL NEWS BITESMicrosoft Xbox CEO Asha Sharma has been appointed to a newly formed task force by the US Federal Reserve to examine how artificial intelligence (AI) and other emerging technologies could reshape employment, productivity and the broader US economy. The appointment comes in the framework of a broader proposal to enhance the Fed's monetary policy framework and its institutional decision-making processes.Asha will be a member of the Productivity and Jobs Task Force, which has been set up to evaluate the economic effects of general purpose technologies, such as AI, according to the Federal Reserve's official announcement. The task force's results will be used to guide the Fed's future monetary policy decisions in the wake of the impact of technology on the business sector, the labor market, and economic growth.Asha will co-host the event with Stanford University professor and economist Charles I. Jones, who is currently on leave from AI startup Anthropic, and Andreessen Horowitz general partner and co-founder Marc Andreessen. The three will offer separate analysis and recommendations, using the expertise of Fed staff.The Federal Reserve has also set up five individual task forces to work on different areas of monetary policy. The Communications, Balance Sheet Policy, Data, Productivity and Jobs, and Inflation Frameworks are among these. Each group will conduct its investigation separately, relying on evidence-based research and deliver "rigorous findings" to the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC), the central bank said. The Economic Development Board (EDB) in cooperation with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) organized a capacity building workshop lasting two days from 8 to 9 July. This program aims at empowering women entrepreneurs with the know-how, tools, and networks needed to capitalize on the opportunities provided by the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).The two-day workshop was designed to aid the development of the skills in exporting of women-owned enterprises, and it presented participants with different sessions that focused on maximizing the opportunities presented by the AfCFTA.The participants were informed about how to access the African markets and choose the most beneficial export destinations for Mauritian products and services. The initiative is intended to boost the exporting potential of the SMEs, cross-border cooperation, and outreach of women entrepreneurs in Africa. Mozambique's business community is strengthening its commitment to women's economic empowerment with the launch of the second edition of the Women's Economic Forum, an initiative designed to advance female entrepreneurship, encourage policy dialogue, and improve opportunities for women-led businesses across the country. Organized by the Mozambique Chamber of Commerce (CCM), the forum was officially launched in Maputo and aims to address the key challenges limiting women's participation in the national economy while identifying practical solutions to support their long-term growth.During this launch, Vice-President of CCM, Ilda Matabel pointed to the important contribution of women to Mozambique's economy in the strategic sectors, including agriculture, trade and manufacturing. She said that women entrepreneurs though their contribution is significant to the productive workforce, still encountered various challenges in the way of expansion of business and sustainability of their business."While women form a large percentage of the productive labour force in strategic industries like agriculture, trade and manufacturing, they are still constrained in many aspects while operating their businesses", Ilda said. MICROSOFT XBOX CEO ASHA SHARMA JOINS FEDERAL RESERVE AIAFCFTA WORKSHOP BOOSTS WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS IN MAURITIUSMOZAMBIQUE LAUNCHES SECOND WOMEN'S ECONOMIC FORUM
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