Supporting SMEs for development in MENA

Private sector employment and income for young people along with the transition to a green economy is central to achieving sustainable, inclusive, and stable societies, and to averting the worst threats and challenges from the impacts of climate change, unemployment, poverty, gender inequality, conflict, and migration in the MENA region.  
 
As SMEs are a cornerstone of MENA economies, accounting for over 90% of all businesses and providing a major source of new job creation, SMEs - with the right support and access to growth capital – can be a major source of sustainable and digital innovation, green growth, and new job creation.

Green growth advisory for 800 SMEs

Aiming to create both direct and indirect green jobs for youth, the Green Growth and Jobs Accelerator builds on the methodology of the SDG Accelerator, which has been implemented since 2018. Over five years, 800 SMEs will go through the Green Growth and Jobs Accelerator. In collaboration with local consultancies, UNDP will deliver strategic business development advisory on green growth and support companies with business instruments to grow their business. Where possible, the Accelerator process will include youth as co-creators and advisory capacity to companies, just as the advisory delivered to companies will draw on relevant external expertise from the local, regional, or global business development ecosystem as sparring to the companies or as a relevant network to accelerate their business case and business solution. The project is a close collaboration between UNDP’s Regional Youth Team in Amman, UNDP Country Offices in Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, and Jordan, and UNDP’s Nordic Representation Office.