Agenda

Sustainable entrepreneurship in the Southern Mediterranean: Building regional cooperation for a green transition

La Maison Blanche Hotel (Tunis - Tunisia), 18 - 19 December 2025

Day 1 – 18 December 2025

08:30 – 09:00

Registration

Welcome and participant registration
09:00 – 09:30

Welcome and Opening Session

Opening speeches by Ministry of Environment in Tunisia, MedWaves, CITET and SPARK.
09:30 – 10:45

Session 1: Regional and national snapshots on sustainable business supporting ecosystems

  1. The Switchers Support Programme as an initiative to promote national partnerships in the Southern Mediterranean  Giorgio Mosangini, MedWaves (Spain).
  2. Green Forward programme for the southern Mediterranean:  Afef Ajengui, SPARK and Marwa Ouni, CITET (Tunisia).
  3. The Tunisian Ecosystem (PNS Tunisie): Sallouha Bouzgarrou and Khaled Elloumi, CITET (Tunisia).     
  4. Lebanese Ecosystem (EcoSwitch Coalition): Emilio Akl Sfeir, Fondation Diane (Lebanon)
10:45 – 11:00

Coffee Break

11:00 – 12:00

Session 2: Public policies supporting sustainable businesses

  1. Supporting policies for sustainable business development in the MENA countries: Hossam Allam, CEDARE (Egypt)
  2. Morocco’s Social and Solidarity Economy Law: Asmae Diani, REMESS (Morocco).
  3. Tunisian National Strategy for Ecological Transition: TBC, Ministry of the Environment (Tunisia).
  4. Challenges and opportunities for women's participation in creating sustainable enterprises in the Mediterranean: Soukeina Bouraoui, CAWTAR (Tunisia).
12:00 – 13:00

Session 3: Experiences of support programmes for sustainable entrepreneurship

  1. Multi-country perspectives on sustainable business support: Nedal Zahran, Leaders International (Belgium).
  2. Sustainable Entrepreneurship in the MENA Region: Challenges and Opportunities: Marwan Tarazi, Center for Continuing Education - Birzeit University (Palestine).
  3. How to integrate the gender perspective among green BSOs: Douja Gharbi, RedStart Tunisie (Tunisia).
  4. Boosting SMEs competitiveness and environmental sustainability: Asmaa Farah, Ecosystem (Morocco).
  5. Initial Diagnosis Green Forward - Strenghts, Weaknesses & Identified Opportunities: Hela Jelassi, Alternative Business Consulting (Tunisia).
13:00 – 14:00

Networking Lunch

14:00 – 15:30

Session 4: Impact investment for sustainable start-ups and SMEs

  1. TheSwitchers Fund: Nayara Naranjo, MedWaves (Spain).
  2. Mediterranean Sustainable Finance Dialogue Mechanism: Daniel Sorrosal, FEBEA (Belgium).
  3. Current developments of venture philanthropy in the MENA region: Nour Laswi, ALFANAR (Jordan).
  4. Investment and finance’s challenges and needs of women-led green and social companies in the MENA region: Tamara Ghandour, RAMA Impact (Lebanon).
  5. Crowdfunding for sustainable businesses in the MENA region: Oumelghit Guelzim, HAPPY SMALA (Morocco).
  6. Impact finance in Tunisia - (Tunisia).
15:30 – 16:30

Session 5: Presentation of the Regional Publication and Manifesto on Sustainable Business Support

16:30 – 17:00

Closing

Day 2 – 19 December 2025

08:30 – 09:00

Registration

Welcome and participant registration
09:00 – 09:45

Session 1: Masterclass "Accessing Climate Finance, From Strategy to Project Submission"

Tiangoua Kone, UNDP Climate Change BBPS (Côte d'Ivoire)
09:45 – 10:45

Session 2: Workshop session

Workshop 2: Regional best practices supporting the green transition carried out within the framework of Green Forward programme
10:45 – 11:00

Coffee Break

11:00 – 13:00

Session 3: Workshop session

Workshop 3: Taxonomie verte et climatique: Rafik Missaoui, CITET/Expertise France (Tunisia).
Workshop 4: Sustainable Business Models: Tiangoua Kone, UNDP Climate Change BBPS
12:45 – 14:00

Networking Lunch

14:00 – 15:00

Plenary Session: Synthesis and Collective Feedback

Summary of workshop outcomes and open discussion.

Organised by

MedWaves

Funded by

SPARK