Beirut, The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in partnership with the Government of Catalonia through the Catalan Agency for Development Cooperation (ACCD) ‎ will support Micro, Small, and Medium Sized Enterprises (MSMEs) in Tripoli, Lebanon, through the development of a digital platform that will facilitate doing business, accessing new local and international markets, and networking, to increase their chances of growth and development given the current compounding crises in Lebanon.

Tripoli, which is Lebanon’s second-largest city, is considered the economic and administrative centre of the North and Akkar Governorates; hosting businesses, markets, and most of the public institutions in the region. In addition to the unprecedented challenges faced across the country, MSMEs operating in Tripoli are facing area-specific risks and obstacles that are affecting business continuity, such as a weak infrastructure, limited access to finance and lack of business support necessary for their growth and expansion.

The new digital platform, which is the product and result of the vulnerability assessment conducted for Tripoli, will provide enterprises with e-learning material and essential ‎information on administrative and official requirements for the registration of businesses, quality ‎control, marketing, as well as other important topics relevant to MSMEs operating in the area.‎ The platform will also host networking opportunities between key stakeholders, service providers, and businesses and will be regularly updated and managed with the support of the Chamber of Commerce, Industry, and Agriculture in Tripoli.

With poverty in the North region being above the national average of 80%, the initiative aims to foster economic growth and improve livelihood opportunities by establishing an effective business ecosystem for sustainable economic activity based on the findings of in-depth research on new vulnerabilities and the identification of the productive sectors in Tripoli with the highest growth potential, namely; agriculture, agro-food, manufacturing, and ICT services. The Vulnerability Assessment Report for Tripoli, to be published soon, was developed to act as a new baseline with in-depth and detailed data and information on the current situation in the city, to inform development plans and actions.

“We are very pleased to support the work being done by UNDP and its partners in order to improve the conditions of people living in the North region of Lebanon and their livelihood opportunities, we want to highlight the importance of involving relevant institutions such as the Chamber of Commerce in this initiative and reaffirm the positive impact of its participation to achieve better results and to guarantee the sustainability of the activities” Vicenç Margalef, Director of Catalan Agency for Development Cooperation.

“UNDP has been present in Tripoli since 2008, supporting the most vulnerable communities by generating inclusive livelihood opportunities, increasing youth employability through capacity building and support to entrepreneurship, and improving access to essential basic services including municipal and community infrastructure, solid waste management, wastewater management, renewable energy, and support to the social development centre. Today, thanks to our Catalan partners, and in partnership with the Chamber of Commerce, Industry, and Agriculture in Tripoli, we are standing again by the people of Tripoli through supporting productive sectors and MSMEs by creating a sustainable platform for improved access to information and services in the city. During these challenging times, digital solutions are critical to accelerate development” Melanie Hauenstein, UNDP Resident Representative.

UNDP is working in Lebanon since 1986 as a development partner supporting economic recovery, including working with municipalities to deliver basic services to host communities, promoting clean energy and solid waste management, strengthening governance and rule of law, providing support to elections, and working on empowering women and youth.
 

For more information, please contact

UNDP – Lebanon       |  Rana Moughabghab      | rana.moughabghab@undp.org |           +961 3 835 351