Beirut-Doha, 20 November 2024--The event merging the 3rd Arab SMEs Summit and the 10th edition of the Rowad Entrepreneurship Conference concluded today in Doha with the announcement of commitments exceeding $300 million to support small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
During the closing ceremony, UN Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) Executive Secretary Rola Dashti announced commitments from ESCWA and its partners, including the digitization of 200 enterprises that have yet to embrace e-commerce to improve their access to new markets. These commitments also involve providing over $300 million in funding and delivering training to more than 2,000 startups in green technology and entrepreneurship. Dashti further highlighted that the Arab Creativity Market platform, launched last year to support SMEs focused on innovation, artisanal crafts, and traditional products, currently included 1,000 Arab companies. She also set a goal to raise that number to 1,500 by next year to support more businesses in promoting their products and expanding their sales.
"The strength of SMEs lies in their ability to innovate, adapt, and turn challenges into opportunities; they are the driving force of our economies. Entrepreneurs should believe in themselves, as they create much-needed positive change to build a prosperous and more inclusive future for our region," Dashti added.
The closing ceremony featured the announcement of winners of challenges launched by ESCWA earlier this year. The winners of the Emerging Digital Emerging Technologies Award were "Snoonu" from Qatar and "CODED" from Kuwait. The winners of the Excellence in E-Commerce Award were "Playbook" from Bahrain, "Baykron DMCC" from the UAE and "My Tindy" from Morocco. The winners of the Inclusive Future for All Award were "Cure Bionics" from Tunisia, "Access Life" from Egypt and "Ynmo" from Saudi Arabia. The winners of the Green Excellence Award were "YY ReGen" from Lebanon and "Enbat Holding" from Qatar. The winners of the Social Innovation Award were "Lenabtaker" from Jordan and "Tanafos" from Saudi Arabia.
The event, organized by ESCWA and Qatar Development Bank (QDB) under the theme "Navigating Digital Horizons," had kicked off on Monday 18 November under the patronage of Qatari Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani. It attracted over 5,000 participants and visitors, including entrepreneurs, investors, experts from various sectors, policymakers, and representatives from governmental and non-governmental organizations.
The event also showcased inspiring success stories, with over 1,400 participants attending training sessions, interactive workshops, and dialogues with policymakers. Additionally, more than 100 entrepreneurs received personalized mentorship. It served as a comprehensive platform aimed at supporting startups and promoting sustainable development in the Arab region through on the promotion of digital advancements, green technologies, and collaboration among a wide variety of stakeholders.
