Algeria 
Egypt 
Israel 
Jordan 
Lebanon 
Libya 
Morocco 
Palestine * 
Syria 
Tunisia UfM Women Business Forum in Palermo champions inclusive investment for women-led businesses in the MENA region
17 July 2025, Palermo, Italy – The Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) held the 9th edition of the UfM Women Business Forum, co-organised with the Union of Arab Banks (UAB) and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), to promote the acceleration of investment in women-led businesses across the MENA region. The event brought together over 60 participants: policymakers, financial institutions, business support organisations, and entrepreneurs to explore concrete strategies to close the financing gap, with proposals involving early-stage technical assistance and investor engagement to alternative financing models beyond venture capital. Discussion panels, investor-led workshops, and interactive masterclasses provided practical insights and created direct bridges between entrepreneurs and funders. Topics included funding readiness, strategic scaling, green and digital finance, and gender-responsive ecosystem development.
The UfM launched a regional network of women’s business associations to scale up access to finance. This new platform aims to connect national efforts and improve women entrepreneurs’ access to finance and markets across the Mediterranean. Ten women entrepreneurs from Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, Tunisia, and Morocco were selected as finalists for the 2025 InspireHer Awards, a UfM and UAB initiative celebrating progress in financial inclusion and entrepreneurship across the MENA region. Among them, four category winners were recognised for their outstanding innovation and impact.
Countries covered:
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Algeria
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Egypt
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Israel
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Jordan
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Lebanon
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Libya
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Morocco
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Palestine *
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Syria
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Tunisia
