On May 21st and 22nd 2024, the Swedish Dialogue Institute for the Middle East and North Africa, the Embassy of Sweden in Rabat, and the Swedish Institute (SI) arranged a two-day workshop on entrepreneurship and innovation in Rabat, Morocco. Participants represented different parts of the entrepreneurial ecosystem in the MENA region, (from Egypt, Lebanon, Morocco, Tunisia) and from Sweden, including entrepreneurs from the MENA diaspora living in Sweden. Some of the participants were alumni from the Swedish Institute’s ‘She Entrepreneurs Leadership Program’.
The aim of the workshop was on one hand to provide a platform for networking, mutual learning, and inspiration amongst the participants, and on the other hand a chance to explore potential new areas of collaboration across sectors and amongst entrepreneurs from the MENA region and Sweden. A further aim was to explore how private sector representatives can contribute to enhancing the dialogue between the MENA region and Europe.
The programme encompassed presentations, workshops, a study visit to StartUp Maroc, and roundtable discussions, including one on public-private partnerships with representatives from The World Bank, European Investment Bank (EIB), International Labour Organization and CGEM. Discussions focused on exchanges on knowledge, experience and best practices related to entrepreneurship and innovation. Participants shared reflections and recommendations. They saw good potential in engaging the private sector, not least representatives from the diaspora, more in creation connections and facilitating relations between the regions and appreciated the role of the Dialogue Institute as a platform for exchange both amongst entrepreneurs and between entrepreneurs and representatives of other sectors in society.
Read the Report on Workshop on Entrepreneurship and Innovation
