FOSTERING JOB CREATION THROUGH INCLUSIVE ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN THE SOUTHERN AND EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN COUNTRIES

Entrepreneurship stands out as a key driver for economic development, offering a pathway to job creation and sustainable development. In the Southern and Eastern Mediterranean countries (SEMCs), where youth and women unemployment pose significant challenges, fostering entrepreneurship becomes not only an economic solution to unemployment but also a means of social empowerment. Entrepreneurs, especially young and women, play a vital role in diversifying economies, fostering innovation, digitalisation and creating new employment opportunities. This is particularly true in a time when the impacts of climate change are felt across the Mediterranean, making it essential to explore green and innovative solutions for advancing sustainable development.

This FEMISE workshop, co-organised by the European Institute of the Mediterranean (IEMed),BUSINESSMED (Union of Mediterranean Confederations of Enterprises) and the AECID (Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation), is a pivotal event within the framework of the regional Team Europe Initiative “Jobs Through Trade and Investment in the Southern Neighbourhood” (TEI).

This EU initiative is driven by a collective commitment to fostering economic development, job creation, and inclusive entrepreneurship in the SEMCs. The overarching objective of the TEI is to address the pressing challenges of unemployment, particularly among the youth and women in this region. As part of this initiative, the focus on “inclusive entrepreneurship” emerges as a crucial pillar for action. According to research findings, including the recent FEMISE-CMI report on Trade and Jobs1, SEMCs labour markets are characterized by persistent unemployment, particularly among the youth reaching 26%; low women participation rate reaching about 20%, high levels of informality reaching about 80% in Egypt and 70% in Jordan, and skills mismatch. At the same time, trade liberalization did not translate into job creation in these countries, as labour markets adaptation and flexibility were not assured. Many entrepreneurs found solutions to labour market challenges by establishing their own businesses in the SMECs.

Recognizing the potential of entrepreneurship in driving economic growth and social development, this workshop aims to shed light on practical strategies and policies that can empower entrepreneurs, particularly youth and women, highlighting some of the challenges they are facing and providing practical solutions towards alleviating unemployment. The workshop will offer a platform to share knowledge and experiences among researchers, entrepreneurs and relevant policy makers; it will also serve as a catalyst for formulating concrete policy recommendations.

With this workshop, FEMISE, the IEMed, BUSINESSMED and the AECID underscore their long-term commitment to generating actionable insights and fostering dialogue among key stakeholders to address the complex issue of unemployment in the Southern and Eastern Mediterranean region.

Click here to download the workshop agenda