Access to financing remains a significant obstacle for Tunisian small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), particularly those led by young people, women, and located in interior regions. To address this challenge, the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) partnered with the UN Development Programme (UNDP), Caisse des dépôts et consignations (CDC), and CDC Gestion to host the Fin4Youth+ forum in Tunis on September 25. The event brought together support structures, financial institutions, and public and private sector actors.
The forum aimed to match entrepreneurs' needs with financiers' requirements and identify concrete solutions. The context is concerning, with a youth unemployment rate of 36.8% in the second quarter of 2025. Discussions focused on the quality of project preparation, deemed crucial for accessing financing. Participants presented COMFAR, a UNIDO tool for evaluating investment feasibility and financial viability.
UNIDO's representative in Tunisia, Lassaad Ben Hassine, explained that Fin4Youth+ seeks to bring high-potential projects closer to financing requirements. The goal is to help entrepreneurs in targeted regions transform their ideas into sustainable investment opportunities. The forum is part of the broader Fin4Youth+ initiative, which prioritizes the economic corridor linking Kasserine, Sidi Bouzid, and Kairouan.
The initiative aligns with the IMPACT Fund, managed by CDC Gestion and endowed with 42 million dinars. The fund aims to finance high-impact SMEs in these regions, with a focus on environmental, social, and women's projects. Nejia Gharbi, CDC's general director and CDC Gestion's board president, stated that the IMPACT Fund targets 70 SMEs with investments between 100,000 and 1 million dinars.
Gharbi emphasized that Fin4Youth+ plays a key role in improving project structuring, promoting growth, employment, and regional development. The forum's discussions highlighted the need for better-prepared projects to access financing. Participants explored solutions to address this challenge, including the use of COMFAR.
The Fin4Youth+ forum is part of a broader effort to support Tunisia's economic development. The country's economic corridors, such as the one linking Kasserine, Sidi Bouzid, and Kairouan, are critical areas for growth and job creation. The IMPACT Fund and Fin4Youth+ initiative aim to contribute to this effort by supporting high-impact SMEs.
The success of Fin4Youth+ and the IMPACT Fund will depend on their ability to address the financing needs of high-impact SMEs. The initiatives' focus on environmental, social, and women's projects is expected to have a positive impact on Tunisia's economic and social development. The country's economic growth and job creation prospects depend on the success of such initiatives.
Key points
- The Fin4Youth+ forum aimed to address financing hurdles for high-impact SMEs in Tunisia.
- The IMPACT Fund, managed by CDC Gestion, targets 70 SMEs with investments between 100,000 and 1 million dinars.
- The Fin4Youth+ initiative prioritizes the economic corridor linking Kasserine, Sidi Bouzid, and Kairouan.
