Italy’s Prime Minister launches a project supported by the UfM for Mediterranean MSMEs
The UfM Secretariat attended the Med Forum Milan 2012 that took place the 12th and 13th Novermber and where Mario Monti, the Prime Minister of Italy, announced the launching in 2013 of the Euro-Mediterranean Development Center for MSMEs (EMDC) that will support MSMEs in the field of business development. The important project, which was promoted by the Chamber of Commerce of Milan and the Italian Government, counted with the full support of the UfM Secretariat since its inception. 20 public and private agencies from the South an East of the Mediterranean participate in the project as well.
EMDC is conceived as an integrated and widespread network of Development Support Centers, to be located within existing partners and agencies in Eastern and Southern shores of the Mediterranean. They will be implemented with the support of international institutions and donors and the commitment of a partnership network. The Centers will be directly involved in day-to-day field support to local MSMEs and financial sector operators. They will count on the support of an international service unit to be based in Milan that will act as a strategic hub, a technical and financial center and a branch office of the network partners.
The final objective of the EMDC is to build an efficient networking infrastructure among the Euro-Mediterranean entrepreneurs, institutions and investors, in order to support Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises along the critical stages of start-up, growth and internationalization.
The Med Forum Milan 2012 gathered hundreds of decision makers and private entrepreneurs from the region. The opening ceremony was attended by the Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti, the president of the EIB Werner Hoyer, the Vice-president of the European Commission Antonio Tajani and the Italian Minister of Economic Development Corrado Passera. A number of Ministers and governmental representatives from Morocco, Tunisia, Lebanon and Jordan participated to the event, as well as UfM Deputy Secretary General for Projects Funding Coordination and Business Development Lino Cardarelli.
