Rimini, Italy, 16 June 2023 – The Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean (PAM) organized a High-Level Round Table during the “We Make Future” (WMF) event, which took place at the Rimini Exhibition Center.
The WMF is one of the leading events for innovation technology, which this year was attended by more than sixty-thousand people from eighty-five countries. On the second day of the event, a PAM’s High-Level Round Table focused on “SMEs and Start-ups in the Euro-Mediterranean and Gulf regions: Innovative Solutions for a more vibrant market”.
Several keynote speakers addressed the PAM Panel, including Hon. Giulio Centemero (Italy), PAM Vice-President and President of the 2nd Standing Committee, Hon. Sarah AlBazar (Egypt), Deputy Chair of the Foreign Relations Committee and former President of the Young MPs Forum, Dr El Hachimi from the World Trade Organization (WTO), Mr Cervellini from San Marino Innovation, and three PAM researchers.
In his welcoming remarks, Hon. Centemero reiterated PAM’s commitment to promoting innovation as catalysts for economic development in the Euro-Mediterranean and Gulf regions. He added: “Our unwavering support for regional SMEs and start-ups is essential in nurturing the economic fabric of our regions. With over 90% of businesses being SMEs in these regions, they play a pivotal role in driving economic growth and employment”.
Hon. Centemero also highlighted that the PAM Roundtable represented an intermediate step in preparation for the Second Edition of the Euro-Mediterranean and Gulf Economic Forum, to be held in Marrakesh on 14-15 December 2023.
In her address, Hon. AlBazar highlighted the challenges that SMEs face in accessing alternative finance and capital markets in the MENA region, which greatly hamper their growth. Hon. AlBazar emphasized the importance of addressing their unique requirements, especially those of young entrepreneurs and innovators in developing countries.
Dr. Said El Hachimi praised the PAM Panel as a useful initiative aimed at fostering high level discussions on financial cooperation among the relevant economic stakeholders in the region, with a primary focus on the interconnections between economic development and climate change.
Mr. Michele Cervellini, Director at San Marino Innovation, stressed the need for lawmakers to keep up with technological developments, in order to have efficient regulatory frameworks for economic growth and sustainable development.
Moreover, as a testimony of PAM’s committed to investing in youth as a crucial priority to address common regional challenges, PAM’s researchers from its San Marino International Study Center presented three case-studies during the Panel. As such, Ms Samaaneh illustrated the Palestine economic outlook, mostly made of SMEs, and their need of public support to ensure the country’s economic development and growth. Successively, Mr Adato, from Israel, shared an in-depth overview of the Israeli entrepreneurship model, focusing on venture capital, leasing and equity crowdfunding tools in the country. Finally, Ms Cherdonnet, from France, highlighted the current economic outlook for SMEs and start-ups in her country, with a focus on the most recent update of the national regulatory framework for SMEs and start-ups.
In addition, during the event, PAM organized an open-doors at its International Study Center in San Marino to provide visitors with a hands-on experience of the functioning of an international organization.
PAM remains committed to fostering such high-level discussions on financial cooperation, SMEs support and technological innovation for regional economic growth in the Euro-Mediterranean and in the Gulf.//