Attijari Bank and UNDP Tunisia join forces to support entrepreneurship and SDGs

December 10, 2020

Tunis Attijari Bank and The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and in Tunisia signed today a Memorandum of Understanding for the implementation of an integrated strategy to support inclusive local development and the entrepreneurial ecosystem, through the engagement of the private sector and the integration of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Tunisia.

The protocol, signed by. Saïd Sebti, Managing Director of Attijari Bank Tunisia and Steve Utterwulghe, UNDP Resident Representative in Tunisia, aims to promote the active engagement of the private sector as a stakeholder in sustainable development in Tunisia, through the establishment of public-private partnerships for the financing and the achievement of the SDGs and the mobilization of alternative financing tools. The two parties will work, more specifically, to strengthen entrepreneurship and develop value chains in six regions of southern Tunisia, namely Gabes, Medenine, Tataouine, Gafsa, Tozeur and Kebili.

“Through this partnership with UNDP, Attijari Bank continues its commitment to actively contribute to the encouragement of entrepreneurship and financial inclusion, to the acceleration of the growth of Very Small Enterprises (VSEs) to strengthen their role in boosting the national economy and job creation”, said Mr. Sebti in astatement at the ceremony.

As part of this partnership, the two parties will carry out joint projects with high national and international visibility in multiple areas, including:

- The joint organization of events in different forms - such asideations, boot camps, and hackathons - in connection with capacity building, mentoring and other initiatives aimed at developing and promoting the entrepreneurial spirit.

- The promotion of approaches focused on the development of value chains, through the "Dar Al Macharii" (Project House) mechanism, an innovative concept launched by Attijari Bank to support VSEs, combining financial and non-financial services.

- Support for strengthening innovative and inclusive local ecosystems for sustainable entrepreneurship, promoting interaction at the local level, between institutions, communities, universities, the private sector as well as individual stakeholders, in order to stimulate entrepreneurship, innovation and the growth of VSEs.

Through this partnership, Attijari Bank Tunisia will support the development, deployment and expansion of value chains in six regions of the South of Tunisia, including inclusive value chains for vulnerable populations, in particular youth and women. This support will be provided through technical assistance of UNDP and the financial and non-financial help of Attijari Bank Tunisia.

The Memorandum of Understanding will ultimately enable the promotion ofe economic inclusion through entrepreneurship but also through the active engagement of the private sector as an actor of sustainable development in Tunisia, according to a collective and shared approach. The objective is also to strengthen public-private partnerships, in terms of financing and achievement of the 2030 Agenda, by mobilizing alternative financing tools.

The program will further provide financial and technical support to budding entrepreneurs and micro and small enterprises, in an approach integrating the SDGs and promoting inclusive local development. The objective being to allow the emergence of value chains and resilient and resistant business ecosystems in the six targeted regions of southern Tunisia. “This is a partnership between a United Nations agency and a private bank in favour of entrepreneurship that is very creative. It truly aims to meet the socio-economic and financial inclusion challenges of young entrepreneurs in the South, with a view to inclusive growth and human development,” said the UNDP Resident Representative in Tunisia, Steve Utterwulghe.

Contact Information

Attijari Bank, Namia Ayadi, Director of Communications Email: namia.ayadi@attijaribank.com.tn Phone: 98 33 82 83
Sami Badreddine, Communication Analyst Email: sami.badreddine@undp.org Phone: 28 538 377