The Med4Jobs Stakeholders’ Dialogue brought together over 50 participants from UfM Governments, the European Commission, the Private Sector, Think Tanks, Academia, Financial Institutions, Business Development Centers, Social Economy, International Organizations, among others. Together, they discussed the Private Sector’s Social Impact and the Engagement of the Private Sector in Human and Sustainable Development Efforts.

UfM project promoters, partners and beneficiaries were given the floor to share their experiences, success stories and best practices. Ten UfM-labelled projects were represented in the Dialogue, accounting for almost 20% of the overall UfM project portfolio. Med4Jobs currently encompasses 13 projects that benefit over 100.000 young people and women, in addition to supporting hundreds of startup MSMEs in the region.

Other sessions of the Stakeholders’ Dialogue focused on the role of the Private Sector in the ongoing development efforts. The participants stressed that the Private Sector should play a more tangible role in the society not only through the Corporate Social Responsibility programs, but also by re-thinking the business model with the wellbeing of the society and the environment in mind.

They pointed out the importance of building meaningful business linkages between the multinationals and the local firms in order for the benefits of Private Sector engagement to trickle down to small companies. Whether through multi-stakeholder policy dialogue, transfer of knowledge and technologies, capacity building, or technical assistance and best practices, there are several paths to engage the Private Sector in development efforts.

The Med4Jobs Stakeholders’ Dialogue was followed by the Fifth Med4Jobs Advisory Board Meeting, held at the UfM Secretariat. This year’s edition focused on the Private Sector’s adaptation to a rapidly shifting technological landscape in the context of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and the need for digital skills for the future.