Under the title “A new dawn for the Mediterranean”, MedaWeek Barcelona 2019 is one of the largest global economy, trade and investment gatherings of corporate leaders, policymakers, businessmen, regional and international investors, entrepreneurs, leading academics and experts showcasing prevalent information, strategies and knowledge about Mediterranean economies and business opportunities. It is organised by ASCAME (Association of the Mediterranean Chambers of Commerce and Industry). As part of MedaWeek, the EESC Employers’ Group is organising, in cooperation with AFAEMME, an internal forum on «How can business promote sustainability?» on 21 November.

The Employers’ Group will be pleased to welcome keynote speaker Salaheddine Mezouar, President of the General Confederation of Moroccan Employers (CGEM) and COP22 President. The forum aims to identify strategies to integrate the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into business and find sustainable triple-win solutions (economic, social and environmental).

On 20 November the delegation of the EESC Employers’ Group at MedaWeek will take part in the New Africa Business Development Forum and the Mediterranean Textile Forum.

This year’s summit will be exploring the measures that the Mediterranean countries need to take in order to develop a truly globalised economy. It will also touch on the challenges economies face with the rapidly changing environment and the policies developed to cope with it. It will also address issues relevant to the Mediterranean private sector, such as youth unemployment, the skills gap for the 4.0 Industrial Revolution, inclusion of women in the workforce, entrepreneurship initiatives, investment opportunities in the Mediterranean countries and Africa, human rights and climate change.

As in previous years, the 13th MedaWeek Barcelona will bring many trending topics to the table as the flagship Mediterranean entrepreneurial-economic platform for the entire world. This year it aims to cover three main objectives in addition to the central theme: Underline the importance of the African continent’s role for the Mediterranean, propose alternative systems to the Western banking system for the countries of the MEDA region and align the sustainable development needs of the Mediterranean area with the United Nations’ SDGs.

The Mediterranean Week for Economic Leaders has acted for years as a catalyst for regional initiatives, trends, industry breakthroughs and networking; in addition, it serves as a regional platform to present projects and collaborations. As shown in prior years, MedaWeek provides the perfect forum for discussion of current and trending topics among experts, businesses, organisations and other stakeholders from both sides of the Mediterranean basin.

This year’s forums will be the:

• New Africa Business Development Forum
• Mediterranean Textile Forum
• ECOMEDA Sustainability Summit
• Mediterranean Islamic Finance Forum
• Mediterranean Women Entrepreneurs Forum
• Mediterranean Social Economy Forum

 

As in previous years, the 16th New Africa Business Development Forum will be organised jointly with the European Institute of the Mediterranean (IEMed) and the Federation of African Chambers.
This year it will focus on new challenges related to the dynamism of African economies in the agribusiness, renewable energy, logistics, tourism and applied technology sectors. Successful business  models and innovative development solutions will be showcased and developed to provide access to best practices for African businesses. Furthermore, the NABDF will highlight the key role of the Maghreb as an influential actor and as an interface between South Africa, the Mediterranean and Europe.

The Mediterranean Textile Forum (MediTex) will be revisited from a new perspective and will highlight the common desire for a Mediterranean textile industry that is ethical and respectful of the environment. This sector is particularly concerned with water and soil pollution because of the many chemical products used and the product rejects. Moreover, this pollution is found in the Mediterranean and greatly affects key sectors of the region such as tourism or agri-food.

MedaWeek Barcelona is committed to promoting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals in order to meet the challenges of the current and future world, particularly in terms of the environment and prosperity in the Mediterranean region. It is to remind us of our commitment that one of the main themes for this edition will be the Sustainable Development Forum. Renewable energies and green energies will thus be at the centre of this forum.

The fifth Mediterranean Islamic Finance Forum is an opportunity to get to know this financial system and thus explore new business opportunities in the Mediterranean region and beyond. The forum will introduce you to a wide banking network that respects the principles of Islamic law, with practices such as the concept of a solidarity guarantee (Takaful) or the interest-free certificates (Sukuk). Islamic finance is a way of bringing together different Mediterranean actors, allowing them to benefit from untapped financial resources within Muslim countries. It is also a way to access the business community of the Gulf countries. In addition, Islamic finance is an opportunity to align with some of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, as it incorporates the principles of financial sustainability and responsible finance, which are rarely found in Western finance.
This year, the eleventh Mediterranean Women Entrepreneurs Forum (MedaWomen) will bring together many influential businesswomen from the Mediterranean region, in partnership with AFAEMME (Federation of Businesswomen Associations), and overseas, and to discuss topics that are essential for the development of female entrepreneurship in the Mediterranean.
The theme of new technologies and innovation for women will be addressed, in particular, by supporting and enhancing the careers of young professional women. Their important role in stimulating Mediterranean economies will be developed, as will the need to combat gender inequalities, which is the fifth objective in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

The Social Economy Forum is a full-fledged economy forum and warrants the attention of the entrepreneurial world. In the Mediterranean alone, this sector brings together nearly a million organisations and employs more than 8 million people. The second Mediterranean Social Economy Forum will present the latest news in the sector, recalling the need for transformation of the current economic system. It will also highlight the needs of actors to ensure their peaceful and sustainable development, including risk assessment, the establishment of mutual funds and promotion of expertise through the support of institutions.