In July 2002 there was our official launching. After different meetings in several regions and countries from the Mediterranean we managed it to unite our forces and set up AFAEMME, the Association of Organisations of Mediterranean Businesswomen. On September 17th 2002 we celebrated the Official Opening in the presence of Mr. Rodrigo Rato, at this time Vice-President of the Spanish Government and Minister for Economy and former Director of the International Monetary Fund; Mr. Artur Mas, the Head of the Catalan Government; and Mr. Juan Rosell, the President of the Union of the biggest company owners of Catalonia. This event served to provide us with institutional support and empowered us to start developing international projects.

The main objective of AFAEMME is to unite the Associations and Organisations of Mediterranean Businesswomen that are established in the Mediterranean basin and to represent their will to promote women in the labour market by:

1. Contributing to the cultural development of women in business.
   
   
2. Promoting equality at work and improving the conditions for women in terms of their socio-economic and professional life, eliminating all kind of discrimination.
   
   
3. Promoting the development of relations among businesswomen of the Mediterranean basin in order to maintain a permanent closeness between them.
   
   
4. Coordinating the individual efforts of the different Businesswomen Associations of the Mediterranean area in order to enhance the progress of gender equality and by promoting common activities and projects which multiply the day to day efforts and actions of all these associations.
   
   
5. Promoting different opportunities for the member associations and organisations to improve their knowledge and skills through training Forums.
   
   
6. Exercising influence on public opinion through public campaigns and lobbying to national and international authorities with the objective of promoting the legal, social and business conditions of women.
   
   
7. Cooperating internationally in the development of equal opportunities between women and men.