EBSOMED PROJECT KICKED OFF IN TUNISIA

The seminar was an opportunity to present this EU co-funded project and all the activities that will be carried out during 4 years in the view of Enhancing Business Support Organisations (BSOs) and Business Networks in the Southern Neighborhood, by highlighting the engagement of the European Union in promoting the Euro-Mediterranean private sector ecosystem and a more inclusive economic growth.

The event offered also a space for economic representatives of the public and private sector from the Euro-Mediterranean region to meet and enhance regional cooperation and new business partnerships, which could affect positively the overall business environment in these targeted countries.

Mrs. Jihen Boutiba, BUSINESSMED’s General Secretary welcomed the attendees with a keynote speech, followed by Mrs. Saida Neghza’s intervention, the President of BUSINESSMED by introducing EBSOMED project and its objectives. Mr. Samir Majoul, the president of The Tunisian Union of Industry, Commerce and Handicrafts and Mrs. Neziha Labidi, the Tunisian Minister of Women, Family, Children and Seniors intervened to stress the importance of such initiative in the Euro-Mediterranean region and its major impact on the final beneficiaries who are mainly women and young entrepreneurs.

The day was structured into three sessions: 1-Enhancing inter and intra-regional cooperation for an inclusive and sustainable growth: the role of BSOs in addressing the ongoing needs of the Southern Neighbourhood. 2- EBSOMED – Improving Business Support Organisations and Business Networks in the Southern

Neighbourhood: a range of higher-value services for BSOs and SMEs. 3 – Northern and Southern BSOs’ visions and expectations of the EBSOMED project. These sessions brought together high-level speakers to present the action, the instruments, its impact and the contribution of each partner, also to discuss different mechanisms and opportunities to strengthen regional economic cooperation in the Euromed region, as well as to debate needs and expectations of Northern and Southern BSO’s.

Recognizing the EU commitment in supporting private sector development as the main vector for job creation, this initiative will represent an  opportunity to reaffirm the commitment to collaborate for an effective regional cooperation through action driven roadmap and following the regional approach that will remain the distinctive feature of the project. The action will foster Euro-Mediterranean integration and investments by exchanging best practices bilaterally and multilaterally.

EBSOMED kick-off seminar was concluded by final remarks suggested by the attendees and announcing the first activity of the action which is the EU Med Roadshow, under the theme “DIGITALIZATION AND ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE: THE FUTURE OF INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT IN THE EURO-MEDITERRANEAN REGION”.

About EBSOMED

EBSOMED is a 4-year project co-financed by the European Union, led by the Union of Mediterranean Confederations of Enterprises (BUSINESSMED) and implemented by a consortium consisting of 6 partners: EUROCHAMBRES (Association of Chambers of Commerce in Europe); ASCAME(Association of Chambers of Commerce in the Mediterranean); ANIMA Investment Network ; CAWTAR (Center of Arab Women for Training and Research); GACIC (German-Arab Chamber of Industry and Commerce).