Morocco

<p><span data-reactid=".0.3.1.0.$0.$common226cd6d4-6c57-41ef-8cf8-ca8d77621872682.0.1.$IATI_View226cd6d4-6c57-41ef-8cf8-ca8d77621872682.2.3.1.1.1.1.0">This project forms part of the Global Textiles and Clothing (GTEX) Programme of ITC. It is essentially a global component on Knowledge Management and Policy Dialogue, which complements and fosters GTEX country level interventions, as well as facilitate peer learning and networking at a regional and a global scale. It comprises of two outputs. Firstly, the global component will contribute to creating knowledge with a view to influence behaviour at TISI and enterprise level. &nbsp;Secondly, it will ensure strategic linkages with suitable global T&amp;C networks and a peer review mechanism, in the form of T&amp;C Expert Forum, will be established.</span></p>

<p>The overall objective of the proposed project is to attract investment and promote trade and sustainable industrial and business development at continental level, concretely supporting the AfCFTA Secretariat and the African Union and delivering on the Africa-EU partnership for sustainable growth and jobs.&nbsp;</p><p>The project contributes to this objective by</p><ul><li>identifying trade and investment opportunities along regional value chains with potential at continental scale in Africa, including potential for investment by EU economic operators;</li><li>Strengthening the EU-Africa dialogue on trade and economic integration, informing high-level events such as the upcoming AU-EU Summit and European- African Business Forum (EABF)</li><li>identifying pilot/selected continental value chains that could be targeted for support in the EU 2021-27 aid programming exercise.</li></ul><p>It supports the implementation of the AfCFTA and ITC&apos;s One Trade Africa Initiative.</p>

<p>The main objective of the Export Development for Employment Creation (EDEC) in Morocco is to enhance the competitiveness of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in order to create sustainable jobs for women and youth through the development of exports. The project will anchor its capacity building and knowledge transfer activities to Trade Support Institutions (TSIs) and specialized institutions supporting export and trade in specific sectors. The project will focus, in particular, on the processed food, sea food products, and leather sectors.</p>

<p>The envisaged impact of the programme is to increase employment and income along the T&amp;C value chain in the five selected priority countries. To achieve this long-term objective, the programme foresees to accomplish two major outcomes until the end of the programme. One is related to the institutional infrastructure around the sector in the priority countries, including policy aspects, where required and is formulated as &ldquo;Improved business environment and TISI performance in the T&amp;C sector&rdquo;. The second outcome targets the enterprise level as is formulated as &ldquo;Improved competitiveness of SMEs in the T&amp;C sector&rdquo;.</p>

The project aims to respond to the COVID crisis and the recent increase in demand for e-commerce due to the lockdowns in most MENA countries and the social distancing requirements that should last longer than the lockdowns.  Retail businesses are struggling to find a way to reach customers and retain sales during this crisis.

The project will aim to support this challenge by offering women-led SMEs in MENA an opportunity to learn, in English, French and Arabic, about the fundamentals of doing business via e-commerce, managing logistics and utilizing digital marketing channels. These e-learnings will be delivered through a short series of webinars and facilitated, interactive online deep dive clinics.

<p>ITC will contribute to an improved job potential through the generation of investment leads with European investors interested in investing into the partner countries of the Special Initiative (SI) for Training and Job Creation, which has been initiated by the Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).</p><p>The overall objective of this project is to bring in non-financial European company investors into a joint project development process aiming to mobilize and to support the realization of private investment in the partner countries of the SI in order to create jobs. These investor companies aim to create sustainable jobs through green and brownfield investments in the target countries. The investment leads faciliated should have a particular potential to create jobs for women and youth.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The purpose of the SheTrades Morocco project is to increase the participation of women-owned businesses in trade by improving their competitiveness and strengthening their market linkages. The project seeks to enable Moroccan women to benefit from economic participation focusing on processed foods value chains. Within the framework of the International Trade Centre&rsquo;s SheTrades Initiative, the project will work with key public and private stakeholders to address issues that are holding back Moroccan women from fulfilling their economic potential.</p><p>More competitive enterprises in this key sector will contribute to achieving targets linked to the 2030 Agenda, particularly related to SDG 8 &ldquo;promoting sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment&rdquo;, SDG 9 &ldquo;industry, innovation &amp; infrastructure&rdquo; and SDG 5 &ldquo;gender equality&rdquo;.</p><p>SheTrades Morocco will advocate for a conducive business environment for women entrepreneurs, give women entrepreneurs access to the skills and support systems required to run successful businesses, and connect women-owned enterprises to local, regional, and international markets.</p>