ASCAME joins the International Women's Day

Breaking the glass ceiling in women's inclusion and empowerment in the Mediterranean business sector

The International Women’s Day on March 8th marks a call to action for accelerating women’s equality. In the Mediterranean, businesswomen are driving a positive change and shaping de economic landscape in the region. For instance, in recent years women have become a force to be reckoned with on the start-up scene. One in three start-ups in the Mediterranean is founded or led by women, a higher percentage than in Silicon Valley. However, inequalities affecting Mediterranean women in the business sector have deep roots, ranging from cultural factors to insufficient support for women-led businesses, underrepresentation of women in top executive roles, the lack of policy frameworks to address the gender gap, and the challenge of promoting work-family balance.

We interviewed six women from different Mediterranean institutions who share insightful initiatives and ideas about promoting the presence of women in management positions, breaking stereotypes, and contributing to a greater representation of women in tech roles. Along with Mr. Anwar Zibaoui, ASCAME's General Coordinator, they all reflect on the key role of the Chambers of Commerce in addressing gender gaps, fostering female entrepreneurship and creating a legal framework that protects and empowers women in the business environment.

 Mediterranean Pavilion at the World Travel, Trade & Taste Expo 2025

ASCAME explains to its members the advantages of participating in the Mediterranean Pavilion, from 29th to 31st in Toronto (Canada)

Mediterranean companies, Chambers of Commerce, and institutional and business organisations attended the 20th of February a webinar hosted by ASCAME to have more details about the Mediterranean Pavilion at the World of Travel, Trade & Taste Expo 2025, which will take place from the 29th to the 31st of May at Metro Toronto Convention Centre (Toronto, Canada). The initiative, led by ASCAME in collaboration with Euromed Group and the Canadian Chamber in Italy, offers a unique opportunity to Mediterranean institutions, associations, companies, and professionals to seek a strategic entry into the Canadian market.

The webinar started with an explanation of the main advantages of participating in the Mediterranean Pavilion given by Ms. Andrea Mullerat, ASCAME’s Corporate Development & Marketing Manager. Ms. Muillerat highlighted the opportunity to position the country's products, services, and cultural assets in a personalized exhibition space, apart from the exclusive networking opportunities and the first-hand knowledge of the Canadian market potential. Within the second half of the webinar, Mr. Gregory Smith,  Director of the ‘World of Travel, Trade & Taste Expo 2025′,  talked about the main strengths of this international summit, such as connecting with professionals from travel, trade, investment, and other key sector and diving into innovative and sustainable solutions.

 ASCAME and UNIDO join forces for a more creative Mediterranean

Both institutions are committed to  supporting the creative economy, driving the SME digital transformation, and promoting the green economy

In February, Mr. Anwar Zibaoui, ASCAME’s General Coordinator, met with Dr. Hashim Hussein, Head of UNIDO's Investment and Technology Promotion Office (ITPO regional office - Bahrain), to drive a strategic agreement between the two institutions. The deal contemplates different lines of action, including the following ones:

✅Creation of centers for entrepreneurship, start-ups, and incubators at the headquarters of the Mediterranean Chambers of Commerce, following the example of those existing in the Alexandria Chamber of Commerce (Egypt) and the Casablanca Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Morocco).

✅ Fostering the creative economy in the Mediterranean region, in collaboration with multilateral organizations and associations representing the European sector. The main objective is to create specific promotion, training, and financing programs.

✅Assisting Mediterranean SMEs in their technological and digital transformation process through financing programs, and advice and consultancy on the impact of digitization on their competitiveness and long-term stability.

✅  Promoting the green economy, especially organic agriculture, through events and joint projects with different sectors and industries in the region.

📍 MEMBER'S CORNER

Interview with Ms. Hana Nehmé, Director of HR and Projects of the CCIA of Beirut & Mount Lebanon:

“The Chambers of Commerce play a crucial role in tackling gender inequality”

In recent years, the Chamber of Commerce, Industry, and Agriculture of Beirut & Mount Lebanon has become an example for other Mediterranean chambers regarding women's inclusion initiatives in the business sector. This institution has implemented different fair and inclusive policies both internally -by adopting inclusive hiring, equal pay, and leadership policies- and externally -by offering training, funding access, and awareness programs-. A good example is the Women Digital Job Center, which is a game-changer for underprivileged women, fresh graduates, and those re-entering the job market, offering digital skills training, interview coaching, and job access strategies.

This institution has supported around 400 women, helping them step into better career opportunities, apart from mentoring executive women in large Lebanese enterprises. In the following interview, Ms. Hana Nehme Haidar, Director of Human Resources and Projects at the Beirut Chamber tells us about the social and economic impact of these inclusive initiatives and reflects on the key role of the Mediterranean Chambers of Commerce in reducing discrimination and addressing gender inequality. 

ASCAME Insights

Impact of the current geopolitical crisis on the SDGs on gender equality and women's empowerment

ASCAME's General Coordinator,  Mr. Anwar Zibaoui, warns in 'Expansiión' of the failure to comply with the SDGs related to gender equality and women's empowerment in the 2030 Agenda

According to Mr. Anwar Zibaoui, the current geopolitical tensions and recent protectionist measures by the Trump Administration further hinder the achievement of the goals related to gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls, which are explicitly mentioned in SDG 5 and 10 goals.

In the article, Mr. Zibaoui warns of the negative impact that failure to meet these goals will have on the world economy, especially in the Mediterranean: "It is estimated that the gender gap entails a loss of wealth of 10% of GDP in most advanced economies and above 30% in the Mediterranean and African region". To Mr. Zibaoui, this is a missed opportunity "because women's empowerment translates into greater economic development and a more equitable and inclusive world".

Cultural Approaches to Artificial Intelligence:

The U.S. vs. China

Consultants from ASCAME's partner BÉCE Consulting & Language Services SL explore how cultural differences shape the development and integration of IA in the United States and China

In an article published on ASCAME's blog, consultants from BÉCÉ Consulting & Language Services analyze AI's potential to reshape work, creativity, and even societal structures by comparing the U.S. and China.  Regarding the U.S. approach, experts consider that it is driven by innovation, individualism, and a start-up focus on rapid scaling and short-term breakthroughs. As for China's approach, they talk about a government-led strategy emphasizing a collective mindset and long-term planning, aligning AI development with national policies.

The article also discusses the concept of the Fifth Industrial Revolution, which involves harmonious human-machine collaboration, and how cultural values influence trust and integration of AI into daily life.

ASCAME Projects

The STAPLES Project (PRIMA Program) is paving the way for a more resilient food system in the Mediterranean

ASCAME is one of the partners of the STAPLES Project, a PRIMA Program project dedicated to enhancing the resilience of the Mediterranean and MENA (Middle East and North Africa) food systems in the face of global economic instability. The STAPLES Project came up to address issues related to the dependence of MENA countries on imported cereals and their consequent exposure to shocks from the value chain. These countries, especially Egypt and Morocco, are particularly exposed to international shocks in cereals markets because they largely rely on imports to feed their population.

To face this challenge, the University of Gastronomic Sciences (UNISG) plays a pivotal role in strengthening local cereal value chains to improve food security and stability. We dived into these issues with Ms. Donatella Saccone, Assistant Professor of Economy Policy at the University of Gastronomic Sciences (UNISG). The interview published on ASCAME’s institutional blog sheds light on UNISG’s contribution to the development of the STAPLES Project and the food security advances in the Mediterranean region. 

ASCAME’s representatives traveled to Valencia to attend a new Interreg NEXT MED Info Session on the new Call for Green Transition Projects

On the 27th of February, ASCAME was represented at a new Interreg NEXT MED Info Session on the new Call for Green Transition Projects held in Valencia. The session was part of the #GREENMED Tour around different Mediterranean countries to present in detail the Interreg NEXT MED Programme's Call for Green Transition Projects, worth €83.7 million in the European Union’s contribution. This initiative aims to foster cooperation across the Mediterranean to address critical climate challenges while promoting sustainable growth, adaptation, resilience, and just transition.

During the event, participants learned about the call’s topics and features, rules for participation, budget issues, use of the e-application form, and tips for successful project development. This call is open to a wide range of stakeholders, including national and regional public authorities, municipalities, non-profit and civil society organizations, universities, research institutions, private companies, and other relevant entities.

Only two more sessions left. The first one will be on the 11th of March in Nicosia (Cyprus) and the second one will be held on the 13th of March in Athens (Greece). Remember that the deadline for applying for it is mid-April! ▶️ https://n9.cl/itus7

ASCAME News & Events

EU-Algeria Workshop:

Diving into business opportunities in Algeria

ASCAME co-organized the ‘EU-Algeria Workshop’ with the Sustainable Development Investment Partnership (SDIP), Círculo de Comercio e Industria Hispano-Argelino, and AMEC. The session had four main objectives: examining key success factors for doing business in Algeria, identifying high-growth sectors, sharing strategies to facilitate companies’ internationalization, and exploring new collaboration opportunities. In the session, Ms. Andrea Mullerat, ASCAME’s Corporate Development & Marketing, said “Algeria stands as a strategic market with immense potential for investment and business expansion”. 

ASCAME at the kick-off of the 5th Women Acceleration Week 

 ASCAME participated in the kick-off of the 5th edition of the Women Acceleration Week #BWAW at DFactory Barcelona. The summit, organized by our partner Consorci de la Zona Franca de Barcelona (CZFB) brought together more than 70 national and international speakers in 15 discussion sessions related to parity, equal opportunities, and the promotion of female talent in sectors such as education, culture, technology, law, science,  and the public sector.  ASCAME, committed to equal opportunities and the full participation of women at all levels of decision-making in economic and social environments, supported once again this event which vindicated women's rights and gave visibility to successful initiatives.

ASCAME, partner of GITEX Africa 2025

ASCAME will be one of the strategic partners of the 3rd edition of GITEX AFRICA, which will be held in Morocco from the 14th to the 16th of April. This is Africa’s largest and most influential tech and start-up event which gathers thousands of attendees from across the continent for large-scale discourse and future-focused collaborations, while accelerating tech’s massive advances across diverse industries, from cloud and IOT, cybersecurity, digital health, and future finance, to consumer tech, telecoms, and the great hype of AI. Africa is making significant strides in infrastructure and connectivity projects, boosting regional trade, fostering economic growth, and expanding digital access across the continent.

▶️ Contact us to attend any of these exhibitions and take advantage of exclusive code promos!

👉 secretariat@ascame.org

Stay in touch with us!