A joint initiative focuses on empowering youth and women-led businesses with skills in digitalization, finance, and climate resilience to drive regional integration.
A capacity-building program designed to enhance the competitiveness of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Libya and Tunisia has concluded, with a strategic focus on preparing them for the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). The workshop, organized by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) in partnership with the two governments, marks a critical step towards inclusive economic integration.
Titled “Harnessing AfCFTA Opportunities: Strengthening Youth- and Women-Led SMEs in Libya and Tunisia,” the program zeroed in on three essential pillars: digitalization, access to financing, and adaptation to climate change. It served as the capstone to a series of online trainings that engaged 35 SMEs and cooperatives, prioritizing those led by women and youth.
The initiative targets the core of both nations’ economies. SMEs constitute over 95% of the private sector in Tunisia and Libya, forming the “backbone” of employment and economic activity. In Libya, they are a primary source of non-oil employment.
However, organizers highlighted a significant gap: women’s ownership of these vital businesses remains below 12%. This underscores the program’s urgency in ensuring equitable growth.
“Our goal is to equip these businesses with the necessary skills to access financing, leverage digital technologies, and make the most of AfCFTA opportunities,” said Wafa Aidi, a Project Coordinator at UNECA.
The broader consensus from the workshop was clear: empowering youth and women-led SMEs is not just beneficial, but essential for transforming the AfCFTA from a framework into a tangible driver of regional integration and shared prosperity. Organizers warned that any delay in such capacity-building efforts diminishes Africa’s chances of fully leveraging its vast economic potential.
TunisianMonitorOnline (NejiMed)
