Second Regional Technical Training on Employment and Investment in the Southern Mediterranean countries

The Mainstreaming Employment into Trade and Investment (METI) programme organized its second technical training on investment and employment in the countries of the Southern Mediterranean. The training brought together 30 participants from ministries responsible for trade and investment, economic planning, and labour, along with representatives from the social partners, private sector, specialized agencies and development practitioners.

Organized in coordination with the International Labour Organization's International Training Centre (ITCILO), the hybrid workshop provided participants with the latest insights on the relationship between investment and employment. Participants explored methodologies for assessing the effects of investment on employment, learnt about different data sources and their constraints, discussed the roles and responsibilities of multinational enterprises, and exchanged about good practices from their respective countries. They also discussed the institutional capacities for designing strategies related to trade, investment, and employment.

A highlight of the training workshop was a study tour to the Federation of Egyptian Industries (FEI), one of Egypt’s largest employers’ associations. The tour provided insights into FEI's activities, particularly in the areas of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) development. This offered participants valuable knowledge of practical approaches for enhancing employment opportunities and underscored the importance of collaboration between industry and policymakers in achieving economic and social objectives.

METI is a four-year regional programme funded by the European Union and implemented by the International Labour Organization. It aims to enable policy makers in the Southern Mediterranean region to incorporate an employment perspective into trade and investment policies. This will support the design and implementation of investment strategies that optimize the quantity and quality of employment creation in the region.